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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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

Time Traveler

The first known use of come-to-Jesus moment was in 1999

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near come-to-Jesus moment

come to/into someone's mind

come-to-Jesus moment

come to life

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Come-to-Jesus moment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come-to-Jesus%20moment. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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