the crux
noun
: the most important part of something (such as a problem, issue, puzzle, etc.)
—usually + of
The crux of the matter is that people are afraid of change.
It's taken a while to get to the crux of the problem, but I think I finally understand it.
Examples of the crux in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Their personalities, stories and overlapping narratives produce their own gravitational pull, meaning the crux of women’s football’s (still vigorously) pulsing tribalism is not as simple as being from that part of the country, nor are the lines as black and white.
—
Megan Feringa, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
The big picture: OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor sits at the crux of this conflict.
—Ina Fried, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024
Whether this arrangement is allowed under Spain’s current sports law could be the crux of Barcelona’s case.
—Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 13 Jan. 2025
On the agenda: Freedom Caucus member Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) told The Hill that the crux of his group’s meeting will be discussing the president-elect’s agenda — which occasionally clashes with the caucus’s own — and balancing those sometimes-conflicting priorities.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
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Megan Feringa, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
The big picture: OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor sits at the crux of this conflict.
—Ina Fried, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024
Whether this arrangement is allowed under Spain’s current sports law could be the crux of Barcelona’s case.
—Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 13 Jan. 2025
On the agenda: Freedom Caucus member Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) told The Hill that the crux of his group’s meeting will be discussing the president-elect’s agenda — which occasionally clashes with the caucus’s own — and balancing those sometimes-conflicting priorities.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the crux
Cite this Entry
“The crux.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20crux. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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