crises

noun

plural of crisis
as in crossroads
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action the governor responded swiftly and surely to the crisis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of crises These educational crises—combined with evolutions in technology and culture—have rendered the experience of reading fiction, let alone poetry, a dispensable element of human life. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 8 July 2026 Bolstered by poetic visuals and stunning performances from the young cast, Thorne’s psychological approach offers profound insight into the unconscious impulses that underlie our current political crises. — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026 Leaders are expected to respond to crises while preparing for the future. — Ekramy El Zaghat, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 After four decades of conflict, the impoverished, aid-dependent country is now buffeted by multiple crises, from natural disasters and climate change to the largest influx of returning refugees the world has seen in decades. — ABC News, 8 July 2026 Famous fashion dolls Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) head to the Real World and deal with existential crises while things go goofily awry for the plastic folks in Barbie Land. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026 The landlocked mineral-rich nation is facing one of its deepest political crises in decades as economic turmoil, nationwide protests and a battle over the country’s future threaten to reshape the balance of power in South America. — Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crises
  1. crossroads
  2. emergencies
  3. situations
  4. exigencies
  5. heads
Noun
  • Inventories in Cushing, Oklahoma, the pipeline crossroads of America, remain below operational stress levels.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • In India, a Monitor writer’s awe-inspiring train ride through the Himalayas reveals a region at a political and social crossroads.
    — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 8 July 2026
Definition of crossroads
Noun
  • Low-altitude flying carries inherent risks, including the potential for debris to scatter on the ground and less time for pilots to respond to emergencies.
    — Elise Spenner, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • At least 1,405 residents had been evacuated from their homes, said Antonio Sanz, the minister for health and emergencies in the region, which is popular among tourists.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Definition of emergencies
Noun
  • Instead, language barriers and limited information can hinder their ability to navigate legal situations effectively, Kittaka said.
    — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 12 July 2026
  • That probably has something to do with Peter waking up in weird situations with his organic spider-mutations happening.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of situations
Noun
  • Potential finalists will be notified via email and will be required to complete and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, License of Work and Release of Liability/Publicity within three (3) days of date of notification, or a shorter time if required by exigencies, or a runner-up may be selected.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
  • The exigencies of the Revolution lead to promising more people representation.
    — KEN BURNS, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
Definition of exigencies
Noun
  • Another practice involved staff stuffing insects, herbs and different scents into the leaves of lettuce heads, offering the adolescent skunks another challenge that would put their developing foraging skills to the test.
    — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • With the Lopes Cabral image, there are tons and tons of pieces of a man and woman embracing with their heads next to each other.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
Definition of heads

Browse Nearby Words

cris de coeur
crises
crisis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crises. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on crises

Nglish: Translation of crises for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All