come-to-Jesus moment

noun

come-to-Je·​sus moment

variants or come to Jesus moment

plural come-to-Jesus moments or come to Jesus moments

: a moment of sudden realization, comprehension, or recognition that often precipitates a major change

Many patients emerge from illness having had a come-to-Jesus moment that reorients their thinking.

—James Hamblin

… I had … a come-to-Jesus moment with myself. I remember thinking, "What will you regret if you don't try?" So I went after my dream …

—Dianne Derby

Examples of come-to-Jesus moment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Several years ago, Graham had had something of a come-to-Jesus moment of his own after a promising relationship fizzled. —Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2024

Several are dubious if Mack’s come-to-Jesus moment in the car happened at all. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2024

After an entire season of buildup, Brooke and Cary finally have their own individual come-to-Jesus moments in the finale. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 29 June 2023

There needed to be a come-to-Jesus moment recognizing everybody can’t do everything. —Peter Biskind, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above