crisis |ˈkrīsis| noun (pl. crises |-ˌsēz| ) <p> • a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger: "the current economic crisis" | "a family in crisis" | "a crisis of semiliteracy among high school graduates." </p> <p> • a time when a difficult or important decision must be made: [ as modifier ] : "a crisis point of history." </p>