psychological moment

American  

noun

1. the proper or critical time for achieving a desired result.

   She found the right psychological moment to make her request.

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psychological moment British  

noun

1. the most appropriate time for producing a desired effect

   he proposed to her at the psychological moment

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Etymology

Origin of psychological moment

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Granted, that may only be for a couple of hours, with Pep Guardiola's side facing Burnley at Turf Moor at 15:00 BST, but it still represents a significant psychological moment.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2022

The Times was suitably impressed by his "knowledge of human nature, and an extremely shrewd application of business principles in securing the advantage at the psychological moment".

From BBC • Dec. 11, 2019

“Fuglsang was closed down by Sagan, and then they began looking at each other for a moment, and it felt like the right psychological moment to go for it.”

From The Guardian • Jul. 6, 2014

Bradman let his tail flail away for 30 minutes, taking Australia's score up to 200 for 9 and then, and at what he thought was "the appropriate psychological moment", he declared.

From The Guardian • May 9, 2013

She merely smiled to herself and decided that the psychological moment had evidently not yet arrived.

From Marjorie Dean, High School Junior by Lester, Pauline