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.
“This is the defining moment for EnergyX,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Some have interpreted this as the defining moment when A.I. surpassed human prowess in math, akin to the moment in 1997 when IBM’s Deep Blue took down chess champ Garry Kasparov.
From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2026
A defining moment in their meeting is when Ruth reads part of a Tennessee Williams quote rendered in cross-stitch.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
“This is a defining moment for Fox and a natural extension and a natural extension of the deliberate and focused strategy we have been executing for nearly a decade, “ Fox Corp.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
My time in Brooklyn had become a defining moment for me.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
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.
