juncture

noun

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junc·ture | \ ˈjəŋ(k)-chər

Definition of juncture

1 : a point of time at this juncture especially : one made critical by a concurrence of circumstances

2a : joint, connection

b : the manner of transition or mode of relationship between two consecutive sounds in speech

3 : an instance of joining : junction

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about juncture

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Choose the Right Synonym for juncture

juncture, exigency, emergency, contingency, pinch, strait (or straits) crisis mean a critical or crucial time or state of affairs. juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events. an important juncture in our country's history exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation. provide for exigencies emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster. the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence. contingency plans pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency. come through in a pinch strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult. in dire straits crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference. a crisis of confidence

Did You Know?

Juncture has many relatives in English - and some of them are easy to spot, whereas others are not so obvious. Juncture derives from the Latin verb jungere (to join), which gave us not only join and junction but also conjugal (relating to marriage) and junta (a group of persons controlling a government). Jungere also has distant etymological connections to joust, jugular,juxtapose,yoga and yoke. The use of juncture in English dates back to the 14th century. Originally, the word meant "a place where two or more things are joined," but by the 17th century it could also be used of an important point in time or of a stage in a process or activity.

Examples of juncture in a Sentence

Negotiations between the countries reached a critical juncture. At this juncture it looks like they are going to get a divorce. the juncture of two rivers

Recent Examples on the Web The group's cautionary findings come as the world is at a critical juncture. — Abby Smith, Washington Examiner, "Scientists claim deep-sea mining could forever harm 'pristine' ocean ecosystems," 25 June 2020 Indeed, the region seems to have arrived at a fateful juncture. — Joshua Mitnick, The Christian Science Monitor, "Netanyahu’s annexation dilemma: Making history, but at what cost?," 25 June 2020 The simple solution at this juncture is for a 65-70 game season. — Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, "Opinion: Things look bleak, but here's why there will be a Major League Baseball season," 17 June 2020 In January, Lenovo announced the Yoga 5G (now called the Flex 5G) at an interesting juncture. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "The Lenovo Flex 5G is a $1,400 connected laptop with Qualcomm inside," 16 June 2020 And as the activist group Algorithmic Justice League noted last week, facial recognition’s use by police is a particularly live issue at this juncture—thanks to deployments at protests over police brutality. — David Meyer, Fortune, "IBM pulls out of facial recognition, fearing racial profiling and mass surveillance," 9 June 2020 Kuzma traced American history from slavery to the present day to highlight the presence of white privilege, while pointing out the oppression of black Americans at every juncture — from redlining to the war on drugs. — Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, "In article titled 'Ain't No Sticking to Sports,' Kyle Kuzma sounds off on racism in America," 9 June 2020 Sharpton, who has watched and collaborated with Nappy Roots since their early days in the industry, says the group is at a crucial juncture in the business. — Shauna Stuart | Sstuart@al.com, al, "Craft beer, hip hop, and the clout of Nappy Roots," 6 Oct. 2019 The hearings came at a crucial juncture in South African history. — Alan Cowell, New York Times, "Denis Goldberg, South African Freedom Fighter, Is Dead at 87," 8 May 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'juncture.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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