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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crunch time
In crunch time, a boda boda or tuk-tuk can be the quickest means of dashing between venues in Lagos, Nairobi, Kampala, or Kigali.
—
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
But the story accelerates in 2021, in crunch time for prospective World Cup cities, as FIFA officials toured 23 of them before picking 16.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Over the last seven years or so, no duo in The Association has closed out tight games the way Joker and Murray could in crunch time.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
That means getting stops at crunch time.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
But the story accelerates in 2021, in crunch time for prospective World Cup cities, as FIFA officials toured 23 of them before picking 16.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Over the last seven years or so, no duo in The Association has closed out tight games the way Joker and Murray could in crunch time.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
That means getting stops at crunch time.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch time
Noun
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The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce released a comprehensive binational report Wednesday outlining a five-pillar strategy to address the Tijuana River contamination crisis, a problem that has plagued South San Diego County communities for decades.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
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The conflict, which has raged on despite a truce brokered by the United States and Qatar, has sparked a huge humanitarian crisis, with at least 7 million people displaced.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Mar. 2026
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Three glide bombs struck the center of the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, killing four people, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Vadym Filashkin, said Tuesday.—
HANNA ARHIROVA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Even before Tuesday’s high-stakes meeting between Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and Anthropic over how the US government can use the AI company’s technology, the relationship between the two had hit a breaking point.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
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What was the breaking point in both of those relationships?—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Newsom’s frustration reached a boiling point over claims about the state’s response to the Los Angeles wildfires last year.—
Taryn Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Public frustration over the district’s academic performance reached a boiling point in August 2024, when Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker spoke at a school board meeting, saying the district’s poor performance was hampering students’ opportunities after high school.—
Silas Allen,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Another blow in a broader battle The Kansas law is a flash point in the ongoing battle across the country for legal recognition of trans and nonbinary people’s existence.—
Noelle Martin,
The Conversation,
1 Mar. 2026
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This year, the island is a flash point once again.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crunch time.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch%20time. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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