crises

noun

plural of crisis
as in crossroads
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action the governor responded swiftly and surely to the crisis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crises Expectations around workload and external factors, including international conflicts and crises, are contributing to these heightened anxieties. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 Presenhuber added that economic crises and global politics seem continue to dampen her clients’ moods overall—and their spending. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The film looks closely at the constitutional crises dominating headlines today and the pattern that emerges, which is hard-wired into history. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 The war turned into a grinding conflict, killing hundreds of thousands of people and spurring successive health crises and famine. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 The Stetties avoided such crises, flirting without signing away their New Woman freedoms. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026 Collecting data from the medical tents on race courses where runners seek care is the best way to help event organizers prepare for and avoid inevitable crises, writes Vibhu Krishna in a new First Opinion. — STAT, 2 Oct. 2026 The determination paves the way to certification for the last model in the company’s best-selling family of airplanes, the 737 Max 10, just as Boeing seeking to sell and deliver more aircraft after years of safety and manufacturing crises. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 For voters across the region, these twin crises have brought the economy back to center stage. — Dan Restrepo, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crises
  1. crossroads
  2. emergencies
  3. situations
  4. exigencies
  5. heads
Noun
  • While Wilson was only speaking for the defense, his theme accurately describes the crossroads the Giants have reached as a team here in early October.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Indiana is well positioned to compete, literally as the crossroads of America.
    — Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of crossroads
Noun
  • Lewbel says that, by the end of 2026, the company's law enforcement customers will be required to use case codes for searches, with exceptions for emergencies, and a tool that flags unusual searches for agency administrators.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The school system has added staff in support of this approach, while simultaneously banning school police officers from campus except in emergencies and sharply reducing the size of the school police force.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of emergencies
Noun
  • Facing third-and-long situations all day, Philo and the offense looked ordinary.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The commission voted 7-1 to direct County Attorney Tyrone Wade to look into whether any laws or policies were broken during the consent agenda vote and whether any policies should be adjusted to prevent similar situations in the future.
    — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of situations
Noun
  • Potential finalists will be notified via email and will be required to complete and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, License of Work and Release of Liability/Publicity within three (3) days of date of notification, or a shorter time if required by exigencies, or a runner-up may be selected.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
  • The exigencies of the Revolution lead to promising more people representation.
    — KEN BURNS, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
Definition of exigencies
Noun
  • Looking through small microscopes implanted in the mice’s heads, Patel’s team zoomed in on a particular subset of brain cells, called somatostatin neurons, as the animals reacted to the fox urine scent.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Zavodovski is home to both chinstraps and macaroni penguins, which have distinctive yellow feather plumes on their heads.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of heads

Browse Nearby Words

cris de coeur
crises
crisis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crises. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All