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Synonyms

crunch time

American  

  1. a period of intense pressure; a critical situation.

    It's crunch time for high-tech companies.
crunch time Idioms  

  1. A period when pressure to succeed is great, often toward the end of an undertaking. For example, It's crunch time—we only have two more days to finish. This term employs crunch in the sense of “a critical situation or test.” [Slang; 1970s]

Etymology

Origin of crunch time

1975–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Crunch time arrives in the Premier League at the weekend.

From The Guardian • Nov. 7, 2019

Crunch time came at Atlanta’s north checkpoint at 3:15 p.m.

From Washington Post • May 29, 2016

Crunch time at Yankee Stadium, the Death Star itself, and Travis Hafner trundles to the plate?

From New York Times • May 31, 2013

Crunch time for Isaac came about 20 years ago, when a tourist took a photo of him, without asking permission - something the Maasai, are particularly sensitive about.

From BBC • May 28, 2013

Crunch time in a big game against the Washington Spirit!

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.