the crux
noun
: the most important part of something (such as a problem, issue, puzzle, etc.)
—usually + of
The crux of the matter is that people are afraid of change.
It's taken a while to get to the crux of the problem, but I think I finally understand it.
Examples of the crux in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The desire to merge audiences — younger viewers for the mainstream news groups and broader audiences for the digital upstarts — is at the crux of many of these new agreements, which are expected to get more ambitious as time progresses.
—
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
What happened next promises to be at the crux of a lawsuit filed over the incident.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Doe says this treatment is at the crux of her suit against the hospital.
—Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
And that’s really the crux of it.
—New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the crux
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.
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
What happened next promises to be at the crux of a lawsuit filed over the incident.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Doe says this treatment is at the crux of her suit against the hospital.
—Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
And that’s really the crux of it.
—New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the crux
Cite this Entry
“The crux.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20crux. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
