as in crises
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
we're at the zero hour, so someone has to make a decision
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Recent Examples of zero hours
Nevertheless, this is an improvement on the zero hours that (many) men were doing 50 years ago.
—
Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Nov. 2025
Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zero hours
Noun
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The move triggered a global collapse of silver prices, froze half the world’s precious metal reserves, and helped ignite the cascading crises of 1873.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
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Most CEOs are making consequential calls in the margins of their schedule, between meetings, between crises, between everything else.—
Liam Chrismer,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
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One of Miami’s most maddening crossroads has become easier to navigate.—
Amaia Gavica,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
Walnut Creek developed at the crossroads of two 19th-century routes, one running between Oakland and east Contra Costa County and the other between Martinez, a shipping town on the Carquinez Strait, and San Jose.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Noun
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Guests can also order customized barrel heads, or lids, to take home.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Some can be seen with their hands tied behind their backs, kneeling with their heads touching the floor.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Zero hours.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zero%20hours. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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