crunch times

noun

plural of crunch time
as in crises
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 times In crunch times, our duties overlap. — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch times
  1. crises
  2. crossroads
  3. boiling points
  4. flash points
  5. heads
Noun
  • In April, Google announced updates to its AI chatbot Gemini to detect potential mental health crises and direct users to hotline resources.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • The reshuffle comes after almost a week of nationwide unrest and represents one of the biggest political crises since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 22 July 2026
Definition of crises
Noun
  • For the first time since achieving his five successive Tour podiums, Vingegaard stands at a crossroads.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • And Sahib believes haircare is arriving at exactly the same crossroads.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of crossroads
Noun
  • The intense temperature and pressure of the impact heated the moon's crust and mantle so much that many of the volatile elements present (volatiles are elements with low boiling points), including potassium, evaporated and escaped into space.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Thermodynamics drives selective recovery The researchers hypothesized that FJH combined with chlorine gas could exploit differences in Gibbs free energy and boiling points to selectively remove non-REE elements from magnet waste.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
Definition of boiling points
Noun
  • Amid noise, close quarters, and rigid routines, interactions become flash points.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
  • The context for Xi’s remarks was a potential war between China and the United States over Taiwan, and the urgency to tamp down flash points.
    — Letters to the Editor, Washington Post, 17 May 2026
Definition of flash points
Noun
  • Images from Indonesia's Presidential Secretariat show several polished stone ax heads and ceremonial objects traditionally associated with Papuan societies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • NurPhoto via Getty Images Formula 1 heads to Hungary this weekend for the last race on the calendar before the annual three-week summer break.
    — Yara Elshebiny, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of heads

Browse Nearby Words

crunch time
crunch times
crunchy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crunch times.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch%20times. Accessed 29 Jul. 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 inveigle

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

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

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

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

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
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
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All