crisis
Americannoun
plural
crises-
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.
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a condition of instability or danger, as in social, economic, political, or international affairs, leading to a decisive change.
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a dramatic emotional or circumstantial upheaval in a person's life.
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Medicine/Medical.
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the point in the course of a serious disease at which a decisive change occurs, leading either to recovery or to death.
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the change itself.
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the point in a play or story at which hostile elements are most tensely opposed to each other.
adjective
noun
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a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something, esp in a sequence of events or a disease
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an unstable period, esp one of extreme trouble or danger in politics, economics, etc
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pathol a sudden change, for better or worse, in the course of a disease
Usage
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?
Related Words
See emergency.
Other Word Forms
- crisic adjective
- postcrisis adjective
Etymology
Origin of crisis
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
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.
Baldoni's legal team have said the allegations against him are "categorically false" and argued they hired a crisis public relations manager because Lively had threatened to derail the film unless her demands were met.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
The IEA responded to the crisis on March 11 by announcing the largest-ever release of 400 million barrels from emergency oil stocks to help offset the losses.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026
That is how Kevin Curreri, managing director of Kenyon Emergency Services, described the scene that met crisis staff sent to Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
Even China, one of the best-prepared countries for the oil crisis with reserves for more than 100 days, has moved to cap a rise in retail gasoline and diesel prices.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Eisman hated it, but he did it, and in doing it he learned something that prepared him uniquely for the crisis that was about to occur.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
