Idioms & SlangBeginner
Crunch time
PronunciationKRUNCH TYM
Definition
A period of intense pressure and hard work right before a major deadline.
Where you hear it
In team meetings, status updates, or casual chats when a release date is very close.
Examples
We are in crunch time now, so everyone needs to focus on fixing critical bugs.
Let us cut the nice-to-have features to survive crunch time and ship on schedule.
Common mistake
Thinking crunch time is a normal, sustainable way to work every week, rather than a temporary emergency measure.