crisis
crisis — noun
1. a situation in which serious problems or strong disagreements cause widespread t
a situation in which serious problems or strong disagreements cause widespread trouble and may lead to major change
The political crisis in Élise's country made it hard for people to get basic supplies.
collocation: political / economic / humanitarian crisis
Gabriel's company survived the financial crisis by cutting costs early.
The housing crisis forced many young families to move to cheaper towns.
When the factory closed, the town faced an economic crisis that lasted years.
Without a clear plan, the country slid deeper into crisis every month.
- stability
a calm, secure state without major problems
文法句型
a/an + [adjective] + crisis
be in crisis
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives that name the type of problem (economic, political, humanitarian). The uncountable form (in crisis) describes an ongoing state rather than a single event.
常見錯誤
2. the moment when a problem or difficult situation reaches its most dangerous stag
the moment when a problem or difficult situation reaches its most dangerous stage and action is needed
The situation reached a crisis when the hospital ran out of medicine.
reach a crisis — the moment when a situation turns critical
When the main water pipe burst, the apartment block knew a crisis had arrived.
The soldiers knew the crisis came when the general ordered a charge over the ridge.
Otis's business reached a crisis point when three staff members quit at once.
The crisis in their talks came when neither side would agree to a compromise.
- turning point
neutral — may be positive or negative; crisis implies danger
- climax
often used in stories; crisis is more serious and real-world
- breaking point
the limit before collapse; more emotional or personal
文法句型
reach a crisis
at the crisis of [noun]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 focuses on a single decisive moment or turning point, whereas sense 1 describes an extended period of trouble. This sense is often used with 'reach' or 'at'.
3. going through a period of intense trouble or pain that deeply affects your perso
going through a period of intense trouble or pain that deeply affects your personal life
Folake went through a personal crisis after her father passed away.
collocation: personal / emotional / mid-life crisis
Ziad is in crisis after his wife left and does not know where to live.
Therapy helped Antonia work through the emotional crisis she had been avoiding for months.
Yuki faced a crisis of identity after university and felt lost about her future.
Anong called the year she lost her job and home a crisis that changed her.
文法句型
go through a crisis
be in crisis
a [adjective] crisis
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense is about an individual's experience rather than a broad societal problem. Common in phrases like 'mid-life crisis' and 'identity crisis'.
常見錯誤
4. the stage of a very serious illness when a doctor can tell whether the person wi
the stage of a very serious illness when a doctor can tell whether the person will recover or grow worse
The doctor said Élise had reached the crisis of her illness.
medical usage: reach the crisis of an illness
After days of high fever, the crisis passed and the patient began to recover.
Nurses watched carefully for any sign that the crisis had begun.
The family stayed by his bedside as the crisis of the infection approached.
- turning point
broader; used in medical and non-medical contexts
- critical stage
more modern and widely understood than medical crisis
文法句型
the crisis of [illness]
reach the crisis
the crisis passes
用法筆記
This is the original historical meaning of crisis and appears mostly in medical or historical contexts. In modern everyday language, the broader senses 1-3 are far more common.
5. a situation in which people suddenly stop trusting a government, company, or fin
a situation in which people suddenly stop trusting a government, company, or financial system
The bank lost many customers after the crisis of confidence.
collocation: crisis of confidence
A crisis of trust had grown between voters and their elected leaders.
The crisis in banking came when depositors lost faith in their local banks.
After the accounting mistakes were made public, the company faced a crisis of confidence.
The scandal caused a crisis of trust that took years to repair.
- loss of faith
similar but focuses more on belief than reliance
- credibility gap
specifically about trust in what people say; narrower than crisis of confidence
文法句型
a crisis of [noun]
face a crisis of confidence
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the pattern 'a crisis of + abstract noun' (confidence, trust, faith). Different from sense 1 in that the trouble comes from people's attitudes rather than from objective problems.