crux

noun

ˈkrəks How to pronounce crux (audio)
Definition of cruxnext
as in essence
the central part or aspect of something under consideration the crux of the problem is that the school's current budget is totally inadequate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 crux The unimaginable stress put on their longtime friendship by the adrenaline-pumping fight-or-flight situation effectively becomes the emotional crux of the movie. — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 The main crux of his thesis depends on the open primaries where independent voters could swing elections, not closed Democratic primaries. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 6 July 2026 This doesn’t apply only to the mobile suit battles but to the film’s emotional crux, the relationship between Gigi and Hathaway. — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 19 May 2026 The noise reached its crux during the Oklahoma State game, after which — coincidentally or not — Peterson started playing more. — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crux
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crux
  1. essence
  2. root
  3. core
  4. heart
  5. point
  6. kernel
Noun
  • Signature therapies incorporate local ingredients like virgin coconut oil, Caribbean sea salt scrubs, and tropical flower essences.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The movie’s essence is Chaucerian; the pacing is taut, jaunty, like a fairy tale, helped along by a twinkling score composed by Anna Meredith.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of essence
Noun
  • Pump Social’s roots The dream come true all started for the Donners with time spent in California’s wine country, learning and growing professionally.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The behemoth agency, which traces its roots to the Civil War, is both the country’s largest healthcare system and one of its most effective.
    — Eric Umansky, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of root
Noun
  • The backstory The first Mandarin Oriental hotel—then called The Mandarin—opened its doors in Hong Kong in 1963 and has remained central to the hotel group’s core values, despite global expansion.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The Acer laptop earned top marks in both the Cinebench and Geekbench single-core CPU tests, and came in a respectable second place for the Cinebench multi-core and HandBrake video conversion tests.
    — Marshall Honorof, PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of core
Noun
  • However, certain types of fat play an important role in heart health and may lower blood pressure and stroke risk.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 13 Nov. 2026
  • The green has stayed ever since, spreading from her hair to her visuals to the cascade of green heart emojis that follow her across social media.
    — Katie Bain, Billboard, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of heart
Noun
  • The Vikings have been dominant, allowing the fewest points per game and the second-fewest passing yards.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Jack Hughes also assisted to extend his point streak to six games.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of point
Noun
  • The October run identified 948, more than five times as many, despite three months of additional kernel hardening.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026
  • OpenAI says researchers used GPT-6 Cyber to find 81 previously unknown, high-severity Firefox vulnerabilities and develop working exploits for 948 Linux kernel vulnerabilities, including 588 previously unknown flaws.
    — Wen Shao, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of kernel

Browse Nearby Words

crutches
crux
cruxes
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Cite this Entry

“Crux.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crux. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crux

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