crisis

[krahy-sis]

noun

plural

crises 

1. a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined; turning point.

2. a condition of instability or danger, as in social, economic, political, or international affairs, leading to a decisive change.

3. a dramatic emotional or circumstantial upheaval in a person's life.

4. Medicine/Medical.

   1. the point in the course of a serious disease at which a decisive change occurs, leading either to recovery or to death.

   2. the change itself.

5. the point in a play or story at which hostile elements are most tensely opposed to each other.

adjective

1. of, referring to, or for use in dealing with a crisis.

crisis

/ ˈkraɪsɪs /

noun

1. a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something, esp in a sequence of events or a disease

2. an unstable period, esp one of extreme trouble or danger in politics, economics, etc

3. pathol a sudden change, for better or worse, in the course of a disease

Other Word Forms

• crisic adjective
• postcrisis adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crisis¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin crisis “(medical) crisis,” from Greek krísis “decision, interpretation,” equivalent to kri- variant stem of krīnein “to decide, separate, judge” + -sis -sis

Word History and Origins

Origin of crisis¹

C15: from Latin: decision, from Greek krisis, from krinein to decide

Synonym Study

See emergency.

Example Sentences

Regularly, economic crises were said to cause Americans to “question free-market capitalism” or “the American dream”—qualms that seemed to be the exhibition’s own.

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There are potential risks, though, to pursuing such policies outside of a crisis.

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That would be the slowest pace since 2011, when job losses caused by the global financial crisis made it hard to increase rent.

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Though quick thinking stabilized global markets, the crisis exposed neoliberalism’s core inequality.

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An acute crisis in U.S.-India relations has spooked observers across the region.

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Related Words

• catastrophe 
• change 
• confrontation 
• crunch 
• deadlock 
• dilemma 
• disaster 
• emergency 
• impasse 
• mess 
• pressure 
• situation 
• trouble 

When To Use

Plural word for crisis

The plural form of crisis is crises, pronounced [ krahy-seez ]. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -sis are also formed in the same way, including hypothesis/hypotheses, analysis/analyses, and axis/axes. A similar change is made when pluralizing appendix as appendices. Irregular plurals that are formed like crises derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin and Greek. Do you know: What is the plural of thesis?