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
The Minutemen, who lost a 3-2 thriller to Wayland in the opener, continued to show their improvement in crunch time by taking the next two points on a kill and block from Manuelian.
—
Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 12 May 2025
Murray made every play his team needed him to in crunch time.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025
State featured myriad missed free throws in crunch time.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2025
Although it’s not planned, Watt loves being reliable for the Knights during crunch time.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
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.
Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 12 May 2025
Murray made every play his team needed him to in crunch time.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025
State featured myriad missed free throws in crunch time.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2025
Although it’s not planned, Watt loves being reliable for the Knights during crunch time.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 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 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share