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
Pre-snap reads and post-snap adjustments can prove critical in crunch time.
—
Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Don’t Be Afraid To Take Risks Kobe wanted the ball in crunch time.
—True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
August is on pace to be the Yankees' worst month, and with two teams, the Cleveland Guardians and the Texas Rangers, within three games of the final spot, the Yankees are entering crunch time.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
But a series of lousy draft picks and a lack of an attractive infrastructure — that imaginary permanent practice facility is being built any day now! — have kept them from acquiring the sort of superstars that carry teams in crunch time, the kind of difference-makers this town deserves.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
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Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Don’t Be Afraid To Take Risks Kobe wanted the ball in crunch time.
—True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
August is on pace to be the Yankees' worst month, and with two teams, the Cleveland Guardians and the Texas Rangers, within three games of the final spot, the Yankees are entering crunch time.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
But a series of lousy draft picks and a lack of an attractive infrastructure — that imaginary permanent practice facility is being built any day now! — have kept them from acquiring the sort of superstars that carry teams in crunch time, the kind of difference-makers this town deserves.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 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 14 Sep. 2025.
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