national crisis

American  

[nash-uhn-uhl krahy-sis] / ˈnæʃ ən əl ˈkraɪ sɪs /

noun

plural

national crises

1. a social or economic crisis, such as rising crime, political uprising, or a housing shortage, that affects a large portion of a nation or requires the resources and powers of a national government to address it.

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Example Sentences

That’s the all-out-war the new supreme leader would have to oversee—alongside a national crisis that was under way before the conflict started.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa told the G20 Social Summit that South Africa had "declared gender-based violence and femicide a national crisis" in 2019.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2025

To that end, Mott announced that the president, rather than officers of inferior rank, could make the first call to deploy the militia in a national crisis.

From Slate • Oct. 21, 2025

During his first term, President Donald Trump frequently turned to the issue of mental health, framing it as a national crisis that demanded action.

From Salon • Aug. 19, 2025

Stock prices and the dollar’s value dropped sharply as investors anticipated a national crisis.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow