defining moment
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of defining moment
First recorded in 1980–85
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.
Start by capturing a defining moment that reveals your core character.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
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
This is a defining moment for the Islamic Republic of Iran.
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026
This was the defining moment in the correspondence.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
