juncture

noun

junc·​ture ˈjəŋ(k)-chər 

1

: a point of time

at this juncture

especially : one made critical by a concurrence of circumstances

2

a

: joint, connection

b

: the manner of transition or mode of relationship between two consecutive sounds in speech

3

: an instance of joining : junction

Did you know?

Join us as we journey into the history of juncture, a word that’s neither junky nor janky, but just dandy. Juncture comes from the Latin verb jungere ("to join") and has many English relatives including not only join and junction but also conjugal ("relating to marriage") and junta ("a group of persons controlling a government"). The use of juncture in English dates back to the 14th century, when it meant "a place where two or more things are joined." By the 17th century it could also refer to an important point in a process or activity.

Synonyms

• point

Choose the Right Synonym for juncture

juncture, exigency, emergency, contingency, pinch, strait (or straits) crisis mean a critical or crucial time or state of affairs.

juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

Examples of juncture in a Sentence

Negotiations between the countries reached a critical juncture.

At this juncture it looks like they are going to get a divorce.

the juncture of two rivers

Recent Examples on the Web

Arthur Fils, one year younger than his compatriot, is probably a better contender at this juncture with a dash more charisma in the mould of a Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. —Tim Ellis, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Tyson wounds the guy and escapes, but this almost certainly means war between Dwight and Bill, two guys who don’t particularly want to fight at this juncture. —Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2024

During his first 15 NFL seasons, Matthew Stafford’s teams experienced scheduled off weeks at various junctures. —Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024

Hinton calls for urgent research into AI safety Luminaries like Hinton, 76, fear putting profit over ethics is inherently dangerous at the current juncture. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

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Kids Definition

juncture

noun

junc·​ture ˈjəŋ(k)-chər 

1

: an instance of joining : union

2

: joint entry 1 sense 3a, connection

3

: an important point of time

they feel they must make a decision at this juncture

junctural

-chə-rəl

adjective