Synonym Chooser

How does the noun crisis differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of crisis are contingency, emergency, exigency, juncture, pinch, straits, and strait. While all these words mean "a critical or crucial time or state of affairs," crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

Where would contingency be a reasonable alternative to crisis?

The words contingency and crisis are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

When would emergency be a good substitute for crisis?

The meanings of emergency and crisis largely overlap; however, emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

When is it sensible to use exigency instead of crisis?

In some situations, the words exigency and crisis are roughly equivalent. However, exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

When is juncture a more appropriate choice than crisis?

Although the words juncture and crisis have much in common, juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

How does the word pinch relate to other synonyms for crisis?

Pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

How are the words strait and straits related as synonyms of crisis?

Strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

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 crisis In the final episode, Sylvia experiences an emotional crisis as someone close to her suffers a violent death, and Adam returns, injured and in danger, to ask for Sylvia’s help, and test her loyalties to the limit. Peter White, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025 The decision leaves about 257,000 Venezuelans, including many in South Florida, vulnerable to being deported to a homeland deep in crisis and under the repressive governance of leader Nicolas Maduro. Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025 Take Proactive Scenario Planning Seriously Staying ahead of disruptions means planning for multiple outcomes, not just reacting when crises hit. Kevan Yalowitz, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Miran has been critical of the Fed in the past, specifically taking issues with its aggressive stimulus during the Covid crisis. Yun Li, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crisis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crisis
Noun
  • Given the apparent emergency, Tejasvi’s grandfather was prepared to transfer the funds—but her father urged him not to and the grandfather, at the suggestion of his wife, then called the uncle to see if the request was legitimate.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Indeed, New Delhi has pushed for economic initiatives within BRICS, such as the New Development Bank and an emergency liquidity support financial framework.
    Priyanka Salve,Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • While giving his thoughts on the situation, one former NBA star made some iconic comparisons.
    Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
  • This is a situation where inflation is now an emergent risk … and gold is the only game in town.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Several of President Donald Trump‘s firings of independent agency heads have made their way through the Supreme Court‘s emergency docket, but Tuesday’s ruling in a federal appeals court likely moves the justices closer to overturning a 90-year precedent on the issue.
    Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • All seven people shot, five men and two women ranging in age from 28 to 32, were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries to their lower extremities, police said.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The exigencies of World War II drastically slashed unemployment but did not improve living standards, and the wartime economy offered no guarantee against the reemergence of widespread joblessness when the conflict ended.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Loosely based on a true story, this novel explores the meaning of family, morality, resilience and honor amid wartime exigencies.
    The Know, Denver Post, 10 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Time crunches led the team of four — including production assistant Chaandmon Croft — to streamline the pilot process so other departments could quickly work with material amassed between takes that could start and restart from various points in a song.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The marathon meeting evoked memories of a past era of contentious county budgets in the wake of the 2008 housing crash, when collapsed real estate values caused a severe revenue crunch for Miami-Dade.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Crisis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crisis. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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