Crisis
Urgent decisive moment
A crisis is a turning point—a moment when things could go either way.
The term implies urgency and high stakes: a financial crisis, a constitutional crisis, a crisis of faith.
In medicine, crisis once meant the decisive moment in an illness when the patient would either recover or die.
The word now describes any situation demanding immediate attention or decision: We're in crisis mode.
A midlife crisis is a period of anxiety about aging and unfulfilled potential.
Failure or decomposition
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- collapseSudden structural failure
overwhelm · distress · despair · turmoil · anguish · trauma · counseling · hotline
Prolonged economic decline
- crashSudden violent impact
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- bailoutEmergency aid preventing bankruptcy
- collapseSudden structural failure
bankruptcy · insolvency · default · liquidity · panic · depression · downturn · austerity
Violent disturbance of order
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
- coupAbrupt seizure of power
- unrestState of public disturbance
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
constitutional · impeachment · legitimacy · succession · regime · gridlock · standoff · protest
Widespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- hospitalizationFormal entry into medical care
ICU · ventilator · quarantine · containment · triage · shortage · overwhelmed · emergency
Needing immediate attention
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- 911Crisis response number
response · intervention · triage · acute · life-threatening · rescue · paramedic · stabilize
Meeting of routes
- pivotalVitally important, deciding
- decisiveQuick to conclude
- watershedDrainage area boundary
- inflectionWord form alteration
climax · juncture · threshold · transformation · catalyst · reckoning · breakthrough · resolution
What something signifies
- purposeReason something exists
- identityWho someone is
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- doubtLack of firm belief
despair · midlife · spiritual · alienation · disillusionment · void · mortality · authenticity
breakdown
Failure or decomposition
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
collapse · overwhelm · distress · despair · turmoil · anguish · trauma · counseling · hotline · support
recession
Prolonged economic decline
- crashSudden violent impact
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- bailoutEmergency aid preventing bankruptcy
collapse · bankruptcy · insolvency · default · liquidity · panic · depression · downturn · austerity · debt
upheaval
Violent disturbance of order
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
- coupAbrupt seizure of power
- unrestState of public disturbance
scandal · constitutional · impeachment · legitimacy · succession · regime · gridlock · standoff · protest · polarization
epidemic
Widespread disease occurrence
hospitalization · ICU · ventilator · quarantine · containment · triage · shortage · overwhelmed · emergency · contagion
urgent
Needing immediate attention
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
911 · response · intervention · triage · acute · life-threatening · rescue · paramedic · stabilize · ambulance
crossroads
Meeting of routes
inflection · climax · juncture · threshold · transformation · catalyst · reckoning · breakthrough · resolution · opportunity
meaning
What something signifies
- purposeReason something exists
- identityWho someone is
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
doubt · despair · midlife · spiritual · alienation · disillusionment · void · mortality · authenticity · self-examination
- UK CharitiesOxfam, RSPCA, Macmillan, RNLI, British Red Cross
Crisisstability
Resistance to displacement
normalcy · calm · equilibrium · order · routine
Crisislull
Temporary period of quiet
respite · downtime · breathing room · leisure · interlude
Crisisprosperity
Good fortune, success
flourishing · golden age · boom · recovery · renaissance
- midlife crisisExistential distress at life's halfway point
- identity crisisLoss of personal certainty
- mid-life crisisMiddle-aged existential distress
- energy crisisSevere fuel supply disruption
- financial crisisSevere economic system breakdown
- housing crisisSevere lack of affordable dwellings