crunch time

noun

Definition of crunch timenext
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action with only three minutes left in the game, it was definitely crunch time

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 crunch time With the games now having the kind of stakes that Thursday’s contest lacked, that leaky defense – especially in crunch time toward the end of matches – is the possible Achilles heel for this team. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 26 June 2026 Brunson remains the go-to scorer and respected leader whose unflappability in crunch time, even during his down games, is the ultimate separator. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026 Knicks star veteran guard Jalen Brunson often prevailed in crunch time, while Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox often missed key shots and made costly mistakes. — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 In their four postseasons with Brunson, the Knicks are 18-10 in games that have gone to crunch time. — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for crunch time
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch time
  1. crisis
  2. head
  3. breaking point
  4. boiling point
  5. flash point
Noun
  • Her first job as CEO in 2014 was to remake the century-old company’s corporate culture and regain customers’ trust following a tragic, reputation-wrecking ignition-switch crisis.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Though largely peaceful, the protests have added to an already monthlong political crisis following a deadlock of over 19 months that has blocked the election of a president and led to two early elections.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of crisis
Noun
  • Some 700,000 people have lost their lives in the past 18 months as a result of the development cuts, the head of a global aid organization said last week.
    — Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Matt Stanley, head of market engagement at Kpler, highlighted Europe’s dilemma and the risks posed by dipping into emergency reserves in an uncertain geopolitical environment.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of head
Noun
  • This time around, traders often cite the booming (and opaque) private credit market and AI datacenter plans funded too much by debt — some of it off balance sheet — as likely breaking points.
    — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Keep in mind, there is a breaking point.
    — Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of breaking point
Noun
  • Charles’ resentment reached a boiling point in 1884, when his and Adam’s father, Cyrus Trask (Tracy Letts), enlisted Adam in the Army despite Charles being the far superior soldier.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Things came to a boiling point in the finale at a Halloween party thrown by Brittany Cartwright at her house.
    — Kate Aurthur, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of boiling point
Noun
  • The number of geopolitical flash points would multiply as governments rushed to grab their share of the oceans and protect their claims through force.
    — Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The dispute over the route became one of the defining flash points of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
    — Amanda Ferguson Reuters, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of flash point

Browse Nearby Words

crunch (on)
crunch time
crunch times
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crunch time.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch%20time. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of discreet

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

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
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All