as in crossroads
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
the governor responded swiftly and surely to the crisis
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Recent Examples of crises
Her elegant collaboration was a reminder that the world has long created the kinds of crises that threaten our stability today, and a good artist finds a way to make work that shows us a way through it, even if the answer is as simple as making something beautiful.
—
Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
When the walls close in The 2009 timeline finds the friends scattered across separate crises.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
She's had three crises in the last few years, and didn't feel worried about affording treatment at the hospital.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
At its height, the deployment represented 20% of the Navy’s surface fleet, tying up critical assets even as crises were flaring elsewhere in the world.
—Jamie Tarabay, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
The common factor in all of this is the Federal Reserve (albeit acting in very good faith in response to successive defense, financial and health crises) increased the amount of money sloshing around relative to the size of the economy to unprecedented levels.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
Given the ongoing housing and affordability crises, unlocking streamlined processes to produce more units faster is at the top of our list.
—Carlo Scissura, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
At and after the end of the Second World War, Italian filmmakers responded with a new freedom to the traumas of Fascism and German Occupation as well as to the crises of American intervention amid Italy’s efforts to rebuild physically, politically, and morally.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
He’s trapped in rolling crises of his own making and is struggling to sell voters on the idea of a strong American economy.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
When the walls close in The 2009 timeline finds the friends scattered across separate crises.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
She's had three crises in the last few years, and didn't feel worried about affording treatment at the hospital.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
At its height, the deployment represented 20% of the Navy’s surface fleet, tying up critical assets even as crises were flaring elsewhere in the world.
—Jamie Tarabay, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
The common factor in all of this is the Federal Reserve (albeit acting in very good faith in response to successive defense, financial and health crises) increased the amount of money sloshing around relative to the size of the economy to unprecedented levels.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
Given the ongoing housing and affordability crises, unlocking streamlined processes to produce more units faster is at the top of our list.
—Carlo Scissura, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
At and after the end of the Second World War, Italian filmmakers responded with a new freedom to the traumas of Fascism and German Occupation as well as to the crises of American intervention amid Italy’s efforts to rebuild physically, politically, and morally.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
He’s trapped in rolling crises of his own making and is struggling to sell voters on the idea of a strong American economy.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crises
Noun
-
Joe Palaggi is a writer and historian whose work sits at the crossroads of theology, politics, and American civic culture.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Maryland stands at a crossroads.—
Steve Hershey,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the 6th Ward in particular, Kearney said, the lack of a nearby trauma center creates challenges when emergencies arise.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Ocean City and Strathmere declared local state of emergencies after suffering severe erosion, which left many homes vulnerable.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Thus, the robot can adapt to new situations without losing key properties of the movement, such as keeping a bottle vertical so as not to spill the contents, as per the press release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
-
As kids get older, this transparency can cross over into talking honestly about social situations, financial decisions, or household values and responsibilities.—
Dina Gachman,
Parents,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The political exigencies that faced the American literary public were of a different set.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
This diagnosis, obviously, was an enormous gut-wrenching shock, and the exigencies of Greg’s life were instantly and inexorably altered.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 Aug. 2020
Noun
-
As the national anthem played following their victories, Smith and Carlos expressed their anger about racial injustice in America by bowing their heads and raising their fists.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Chair-heads are sourcing used Chipotle chairs for their homes—the natural wood and iron look is pretty inoffensive, to be fair.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crises. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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