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
Lindsey showed the last element in crunch time Saturday, trailing 28-24 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter.
—
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
In addition to their defense, special teams was a major culprit, particularly in crunch time.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Baker Mayfield has been clutch in crunch time and now owns the seventh-best MVP odds at 20-1.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
But crunch time in the fourth quarter, with the Vikings down 17-6, McCarthy answered the call.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
In addition to their defense, special teams was a major culprit, particularly in crunch time.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Baker Mayfield has been clutch in crunch time and now owns the seventh-best MVP odds at 20-1.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
But crunch time in the fourth quarter, with the Vikings down 17-6, McCarthy answered the call.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch time
Noun
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The members face a crisis of friendship as loyalties shift, trust is tested, and the lines between fact and fiction blur.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
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Democrats criticized House Republicans for remaining away from Washington, arguing that their absence is prolonging the crisis and deepening hardship for workers and families nationwide.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The network was about to hire The Daily Show host when a producer Kimmel worked with on the '90s game show Win Ben Stein's Money suggested that the head of the network watch video of him, Kimmel explained Wednesday on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
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To combat this, a 4-2-3-1 can be morphed into multiple defensive shapes depending on the head coach’s preference.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Losing to Pitt at home was the breaking point — though, frankly, the Panthers look like a new team since inserting Mason Heintschel at quarterback.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Companies that prepare ahead of time will be rewarded; those that don’t risk being forced to change only once the crisis gets to a breaking point.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The two years of tension reached a boiling point on June 2, 2023, when Lorincz and two of Owens' children got into a particularly heated exchange, according to the outlet.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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Domestic tensions could reach a boiling point today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Nonetheless, migration has become a flash point.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Arrests are taking place all over the Chicago area, but some of the biggest flash points have occurred on the South and West Sides, which are home to many of the city’s largest Black and Latino communities.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crunch time.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch%20time. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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