defining moment

American  

noun

1. a point at which the essential nature or character of a person, group, etc., is revealed or identified.

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Etymology

Origin of defining moment

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

The company said at the time that “as we enter a defining moment shaped by AI, there is no one better than Aneel to lead this next chapter.”

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

Kaja Kallas, who leads the European Commission’s foreign and security policy, described the killing of Khamenei as “a defining moment in Iran’s history.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

Father James Martin: This was a defining moment for me.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

The strike “would be a defining moment in the history of the coalfields,” Giardina said, “and Jackson made it clear where he stood.”

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

All were composed of large, healthy, and highly competitive young men, each of whom was about to face a defining moment in his life.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown