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

“This is a defining moment for the City of Los Angeles,” Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference.

From Los Angeles Times

If coach Brendon McCullum believes this Ashes series is the defining moment for this team, now is the time to be defined.

From BBC

Thorburn's maximum was a defining moment for 1983's armchair sports fan, alongside Steve Cram and Daley Thompson winning World Athletics Championship golds in Helsinki.

From BBC

It was from here that he launched the 1930 Salt March, a defining moment in the struggle against British rule.

From Barron's

The arrival of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere marked a defining moment in the planet's history, transforming it into a world capable of supporting complex life.

From Science Daily