cri·sis
(krī́sĭs)
[Middle English, from Latin, judgment, from Greek krisis, from krīnein, to separate, judge.]
noun: pl., -ses (-sēz)
- A crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point.
- An unstable condition, as in political, social, or economic affairs, involving an impending abrupt or decisive change.
- A sudden change in the course of a disease or fever, toward either improvement or deterioration.
- An emotionally stressful event or traumatic change in a person's life.
- A point in a story or drama when a conflict reaches its highest tension and must be resolved.
synonyms:
crisis, crossroad, exigency, head, juncture, pass These nouns denote a critical point or state of affairs: a military crisis; government policy at the crossroad; had predicted the health-care exigency; a problem that is coming to a head; negotiations that had reached a crucial juncture; things rapidly coming to a desperate pass.
