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Synonyms

day of reckoning

American  

noun

  1. the time when one is called to account for one's actions, to pay one's debts, or to fulfill one's promises or obligations.

day of reckoning British  

noun

  1. a time when the effects of one's past mistakes or misdeeds catch up with one

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

The memory chip shortage day of reckoning is upon us.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Let’s hope that April 12 will prove to be a day of reckoning.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

The cheerless rollout of GPT-5 could bring the day of reckoning closer.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 20, 2025

So for those who made them, no day of reckoning.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2024

Kabul’s day of reckoning had come at last.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

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.

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