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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crunch time was in 1933

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crunch time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crunch%20time. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!