crunch time
noun
: a critical moment or period (as near the end of a game) when decisive action is needed
Examples of crunch time in a Sentence
The team had trained well, but at crunch time they just couldn't perform.
with only three minutes left in the game, it was definitely crunch time
Recent Examples on the Web
In crunch time, with Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell on the floor, the offense sputtered.
—
Jared Weiss, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
The week before Christmas is crunch time for holiday shopping.
—Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
But Grayson Foley’s 205 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns paired with a clutch showing in crunch time to help Scituate produce just enough for a repeat title.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 6 Dec. 2025
Leading scorer Reese Dixon-Waters had a goose egg for the game’s first 33 minutes before making a big 3-pointer and two clutch layups in crunch time.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
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Jared Weiss, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
The week before Christmas is crunch time for holiday shopping.
—Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
But Grayson Foley’s 205 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns paired with a clutch showing in crunch time to help Scituate produce just enough for a repeat title.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 6 Dec. 2025
Leading scorer Reese Dixon-Waters had a goose egg for the game’s first 33 minutes before making a big 3-pointer and two clutch layups in crunch time.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
Cite this Entry
“Crunch time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crunch%20time. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.
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