come-to-Jesus moment

noun

come-to-Je·​sus moment

variants or come to Jesus moment

plural come-to-Jesus moments or come to Jesus moments

: a moment of sudden realization, comprehension, or recognition that often precipitates a major change

Many patients emerge from illness having had a come-to-Jesus moment that reorients their thinking.

—James Hamblin

… I had … a come-to-Jesus moment with myself. I remember thinking, "What will you regret if you don't try?" So I went after my dream …

—Dianne Derby

Examples of come-to-Jesus moment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Venis’ total indifference toward the chaos he’s caused, and his repudiation of responsibility for it, is completely in line with how Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and their colleagues responded to potential come-to-Jesus moments like the 2016 election or the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar. —Alison Herman, Variety, 31 May 2025

Several years ago, Graham had had something of a come-to-Jesus moment of his own after a promising relationship fizzled. —Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2024

Several are dubious if Mack’s come-to-Jesus moment in the car happened at all. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2024

After an entire season of buildup, Brooke and Cary finally have their own individual come-to-Jesus moments in the finale. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 29 June 2023

There needed to be a come-to-Jesus moment recognizing everybody can’t do everything. —Peter Biskind, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for come-to-Jesus moment

• enrolment