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

These heights arrive at the crux of the breakless two-hour play, after Oedipus (Strong) has been engaged in his bullheaded pursuit of the truth for some time. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025

Siemens’ Digital Twin technology lies at the crux of the micro factory’s intelligence. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 Nov. 2025

Despite the crux of this trend, the key to creating a radiant, balanced look is avoiding a color that matches your skin tone to a T, says James Claytor, a stylist, colorist, and Madison Reed national educator. —Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 14 Nov. 2025

Giammetti articulated beautifully the crux of Garavani’s talent. —Miles Socha, Footwear News, 10 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for the crux

• deluxe
• influx
• mamluks
• redux
• woodchucks
• chucks
• ducks
• dux
• flux
• klux
• lux
• plucks