defining moment
noun
: the time that shows very clearly what something is really about
That was the campaign's defining moment.
Examples of defining moment in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Copa América will be a World Cup test for the USMNT as well
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
The 2026 World Cup will be a defining moment for the U.S., and the Copa might give an indication how the national team will be defined.
—
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
Yet neither team's star has lived up to the expectations and had a defining moment.
—David Hellier, Bloomberg.com, 14 June 2024
Related article Gareth Southgate eyes defining moment ahead of possible last dance at Euro 2024 with England
Surprise Act
How long that optimism will last remains to be seen.
—Aleks Klosok, CNN, 11 June 2024
Engerman seems to think that the defining moment in Europe did not come until August 1961: the construction of the Berlin Wall demonstrated that communist rule lacked legitimacy and that only physical barriers could stop people from leaving the Eastern bloc.
—Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2010
See all Example Sentences for defining moment 
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
Yet neither team's star has lived up to the expectations and had a defining moment.
—David Hellier, Bloomberg.com, 14 June 2024
Related article Gareth Southgate eyes defining moment ahead of possible last dance at Euro 2024 with England
Surprise Act
How long that optimism will last remains to be seen.
—Aleks Klosok, CNN, 11 June 2024
Engerman seems to think that the defining moment in Europe did not come until August 1961: the construction of the Berlin Wall demonstrated that communist rule lacked legitimacy and that only physical barriers could stop people from leaving the Eastern bloc.
—Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2010
See all Example Sentences for defining moment
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defining moment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Defining moment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defining%20moment. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.
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