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.
A defining moment occurred at the end of September last season when Ousmane Dembele arrived late for training before the Champions League league phase game against Arsenal.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
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
Each of them knew that a defining moment in his life was nearly at hand; none wanted to waste it.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
