crunch time

1. a period of intense pressure; a critical situation: Compare crunch ( def 10 ).

   It's crunch time for high-tech companies.

Word History and Origins

Origin of crunch time¹

1975–80

Idioms and Phrases

A period when pressure to succeed is great, often toward the end of an undertaking. For example, It's crunch time—we only have two more days to finish . This term employs crunch in the sense of “a critical situation or test.” [ Slang ; 1970s]

Example Sentences

When it’s crunch time, when your body is screaming at you to stop pushing, the pain of losing has to be greater than the pain of crashing the boards or diving for a loose ball one more time.

From Freakonomics

Wriggling through the open air with all the ferocity of a running back at crunch time was a lone salmon, leaping upstream in a valiant effort to spawn.

From Outside Online

The education of Tagovailoa continues, even on a night when he heads to the bench in crunch time of a must-win game.

From Washington Post

It’s crunch time for media companies to ditch their dependencies on third-party cookies.

From Digiday

We’re aware of the issues with crunch time, et cetera, and diversity, I think we’re all growing and learning in those regards as we become more aware.

From Time

This is crunch time for folks in the prognostication business.

From The Daily Beast

So as the negotiations slouch toward crunch time, watch for the recommendations on tax expenditures.

From The Daily Beast