Carl Van Doren
Did you know?
In Latin, crux referred literally to an instrument of torture, often a cross or stake, and figuratively to the torture and misery inflicted by means of such an instrument. Crux eventually developed the sense of "a puzzling or difficult problem"; that was the first meaning that was used when the word entered English in the early 18th century. Later, in the late 19th century, crux began to be used more specifically to refer to an essential point of a legal case that required resolution before the case as a whole could be resolved. Today, the verdict on crux is that it can be used to refer to any important part of a problem or argument, inside or outside of the courtroom.
Synonyms
Examples of crux in a Sentence
John Hopewell, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
The emotional crux of the show is Joan and Kelly, and each and every scene is just heartbreak.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2024
Of course, the biggest challenge for any startup is gaining traction, and this challenge is even more pointed in a blockchain scenario, where network effects are the very crux of success.
—Nimrod Lehavi, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
That’s the philosophical crux at the center of the movie Hit Man, now playing in select theaters and streaming on Netflix June 7.
—Mekita Rivas, refinery29.com, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for crux 
Dictionary Entries Near crux
Cite this Entry
“Crux.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crux. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy Citation
Share