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
At the crux of the dispute over charity care spending is the vague language defining what falls under the umbrella of community benefit.
—
Megan Garnai, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025
The Messina Hof name is a big deal in Texas, and despite the popularity of their tasting room and satellite vineyard in the Texas Hill Country, the soil near Bryan is at the crux of where the hubbub surrounding Texas grapes got started.
—Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Well, that’s the crux of Love and Deepspace, a romantic visual novel developed by a Chinese studio called InFold Games which is predominantly made up of female designers.
—Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
That’s also the crux of Jacobs’ internal creative battle.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the crux
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Megan Garnai, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025
The Messina Hof name is a big deal in Texas, and despite the popularity of their tasting room and satellite vineyard in the Texas Hill Country, the soil near Bryan is at the crux of where the hubbub surrounding Texas grapes got started.
—Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Well, that’s the crux of Love and Deepspace, a romantic visual novel developed by a Chinese studio called InFold Games which is predominantly made up of female designers.
—Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
That’s also the crux of Jacobs’ internal creative battle.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
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 16 Sep. 2025.
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