crisis

The word “crisis” means a time of intense difficulty, danger, or instability that demands urgent action. In plain terms, a serious, urgent problem or turning point.

“Crisis” is pronounced KREYE-sihs (/ˈkɹaɪsɪs/ in IPA).

Here is “crisis” used in a sentence: “The country is facing an economic crisis.”

“Crisis” is a noun.

The word “crisis” comes from Greek. From Greek krisis, "a decision or turning point," from krinein, "to judge or decide.".

“Crisis” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Crisis” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a time of intense difficulty, danger, or instability that demands urgent action.

An emergency is a sudden, unexpected event that demands an immediate response, like a fire or an accident — usually sharp and short. A crisis is a longer period of acute danger or instability, often building over time and marking a turning point. Emergencies are moments; a crisis is a difficult, decisive phase.

The plural of crisis is crises, pronounced 'CRY-seez'. It follows the pattern of Greek-derived words ending in '-is', which change to '-es' in the plural, like analysis and analyses or thesis and theses. So one crisis, but two or more crises.

The word applies across many fields. Common types include financial or economic crises, political crises, humanitarian crises involving large-scale human suffering, and health crises such as epidemics. It also describes personal turning points, like an identity crisis or a mid-life crisis. All share intense difficulty and the need for urgent action.

A national economy collapsing into recession is a financial crisis. A government losing control and facing collapse is a political crisis. On a personal level, someone overwhelmed by sudden loss may reach a point of crisis. Each is a time of acute difficulty and danger that demands urgent action.