What does "crisis" mean?
A crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point.
Crisis
/ˈkɹaɪsɪs/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point.
- Grammar: crisis is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: bench mark, boom, bottoming out, breakdown.
- Useful contrasts: societal condition, calm, conclusion.
- Usage evidence: You must know you're faced with a crisis.
How to use "crisis"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "crisis" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "crisis" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "crisis" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "crisis" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "crisis" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bench mark" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "crisis", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point.
- 2 a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something wordnet
- 3 An unstable situation, in political, social, economic or military affairs, especially one involving an impending abrupt change.
"The financial crisis could have been avoided and was the result of poor decision making both in Washington and at top financial firms that fostered a culture of excessive risk taking, according to a draft report written by Democrats on a panel that investigated the meltdown and obtained by Reuters."
- 4 an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty wordnet
- 5 A sudden change in the course of a disease, usually at which point the patient is expected to either recover or die.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A traumatic or stressful change in a person's life.
"I'm having a major crisis trying to wallpaper the living room."
- 7 A point in a drama at which a conflict reaches a peak before being resolved.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"You must know you're faced with a crisis."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "crisis"?
Common synonyms include: bench mark, boom, bottoming out, breakdown, breakdown of institutions, breakers ahead.
How do you use "crisis" in a sentence?
You must know you're faced with a crisis.
How do you pronounce "crisis"?
Pronounced /ˈkɹaɪsɪs/.
Etymology
From Latin crisis, from Ancient Greek κρίσις (krísis, “a separating, power of distinguishing, decision, choice, election, judgment, dispute”), from κρίνω (krínō, “pick out, choose, decide, judge”).