crunch time
noun
: a critical moment or period (as near the end of a game) when decisive action is needed
Examples of crunch time in a Sentence
The team had trained well, but at crunch time they just couldn't perform.
with only three minutes left in the game, it was definitely crunch time
Recent Examples on the Web
As all of Madison Square Garden rose to its feet to cheer the Knicks’ captain in crunch time, Brunson connected on a side-step two to tie the game at 104 with 22.7 seconds left on the clock.
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Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025
With Butler now out of the fold, Herro will see the ball even more in hands, with little doubt that the ball will go through him in crunch time.
—Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
The second unit’s 23-6 fourth-quarter run provided the cushion needed to survive the Celtics’ crunch time turnaround, with just enough moments from the Sixers’ stars to close it out.
—Jared Weiss, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
The Celtics’ struggles haven’t been limited to crunch time, however.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
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Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025
With Butler now out of the fold, Herro will see the ball even more in hands, with little doubt that the ball will go through him in crunch time.
—Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
The second unit’s 23-6 fourth-quarter run provided the cushion needed to survive the Celtics’ crunch time turnaround, with just enough moments from the Sixers’ stars to close it out.
—Jared Weiss, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
The Celtics’ struggles haven’t been limited to crunch time, however.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
Cite this Entry
“Crunch time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crunch%20time. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
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