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crisis

crisis

∞ 3.1
A very dangerous or difficult time when quick decisions are needed
  • noun
  • /ˈkraɪsɪs/
: crisis
  • Television crews reporting on inflation and the crisis often focus on the farmers' markets.
  • a financial crisis
  • an economic crisis
  • a banking crisis

And I don't believe that crises make heroes.

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Examples

  • We can deal with the present crises and it is within our power.

  • The country faced a severe crisis when the economy collapsed.

  • What is the number one crisis facing the world today?

  • The point is, the supply chain crisis, it's very real.

  • The energy crisis is real.

  • And yet the policy to combat the crisis went in a different direction.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Even if Maine manages to survive this crisis, the UK may not.

  • That failure created the financial crisis that we've been through.

  • But as the economic recovery began, the sense of crisis abated in some countries.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The first clear consequence of the crisis has thus been the end of the foreign finance fetish.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

emergency
vscrisis
∞ 1.3

A sudden dangerous situation that needs quick action

is a broader difficult time needing important decisions not only instant danger
turning point
vscrisis
110 3.7

A moment when an important event changes what happens next

is often a dangerous time requiring urgent decisions as well as change
crossroads
vscrisis
  • Informal
48 3.9

A time when you must make an important choice that affects the future

is typically a dangerous turning period that also forces urgent decisions
juncture
vscrisis
  • Formal
46 6.6

A time when an important decision must be made

is a more severe dangerous period demanding immediate decisive action
pinch
vscrisis
  • Informal
40 4.5

A time when people have little money and life is hard

is a more serious or dangerous time needing decisive action
critical point
vscrisis
16 5.3

A moment when people must make an important decision

is often a longer dangerous period rather than a single moment
flash point
vscrisis
9 7.7

A time when a situation can suddenly become violent or very dangerous

is a longer turning period requiring major decisions rather than a sudden flare
pivotal point
vscrisis
3 4.9

A moment when an important change happens or people make a key decision

is a dangerous or very difficult period rather than a single decisive moment
2 4.9

A very serious problem that has grown and is now dangerous

is often an earlier or less developed dangerous period
critical state
vscrisis
1 6.6

A situation that needs attention right away because it is very serious

focuses more on a turning decision moment than a general urgent condition

Antonyms

283 3.1

Being steady and not likely to change

37 4.1

The usual state when life returns to the expected routine

Compounds

A period when a country's economy becomes very weak and many people lose jobs

A time when a person feels unsure about who they are or where they fit

Big, fast changes in the climate that cause serious harm to nature and people

crisis intervention
  • Specialized
3 4.7

Short urgent support for someone in severe emotional distress to help them cope and return to normal life

A very serious problem that has grown and is now dangerous

liquidity crisis
  • Specialized
2 7.3

A time when people, banks, and businesses cannot get cash or loans quickly

How Serious

catastrophe
174 7.0
crisis
∞ 3.1
emergency
∞ 1.3
problem
∞ 1.2
difficulty
615 2.4

Surface Forms

crisis singular
crises plural

Etymology

Crisis comes from the Greek word krisis, which meant a 'decision' or 'turning point' and comes from krinein meaning 'to decide'. So a crisis is a moment when things change quickly and an important decision must be made, and that is why the old meaning fits the word we use today.