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

The crisis could resonate beyond Corpus Christi, a city that is the eighth largest in Texas, by population, and sits just 150 miles from the Mexico border.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The French president, facing the worst domestic crisis since the 2017 start of his presidency, has yet to address the public since Lecornu's first government fell.

Read more on Barron's

But even with new aid rolling in, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains daunting.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Madagascar was first hit by protests on 25 September against water and power cuts, but they have escalated to reflect wider dissatisfaction with Rajoelina's government over high unemployment, corruption, and the cost-of-living crisis.

Read more on BBC

Embassy in Beijing, sparking a diplomatic crisis that ultimately led to Chen being permitted to move to the U.S.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

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?