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
Just as the Spurs appeared to show some life, New York just responded right back to steal the momentum away from the Spurs and put the clamps on in crunch time.
—
Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
In their four postseasons with Brunson, the Knicks are 18-10 in games that have gone to crunch time.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026
When the Indiana Fever fell to the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday night, Clark had two awful turnovers in crunch time, and led her team in that category with five, while simultaneously leading the team in scoring.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026
That didn’t happen in crunch time, though, thanks to Hartenstein, who was masterful battling Wembanyama in the trenches.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
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Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
In their four postseasons with Brunson, the Knicks are 18-10 in games that have gone to crunch time.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026
When the Indiana Fever fell to the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday night, Clark had two awful turnovers in crunch time, and led her team in that category with five, while simultaneously leading the team in scoring.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026
That didn’t happen in crunch time, though, thanks to Hartenstein, who was masterful battling Wembanyama in the trenches.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 21 May 2026
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 11 Jun. 2026.
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