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 That’s the crux of the problem for Paxton, whose cutter has fallen victim to a loss of fastball velocity since his elbow ligament replacement procedure in 2021. —

Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024 Critics and advocates agree that hiring and retaining employees — particularly train operators — has been the crux of the problem in Chicago. —

Julie Bosman, New York Times, 22 May 2024 The definition differs for each player, but the crux of the message focuses on hard work and giving it your all each day. —

Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 7 May 2024 That’s the crux of the whole conspiracy or theory that they’re related. —

Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2024 The New York City portal is next to the Flatiron Building while Dublin’s is at the crux of North Earl Street and O’Connell Street. —

Solcyré Burga, TIME, 14 May 2024 Just how much legal protection was intended is at the crux of the skirmishes. —

Fred Schulte | Kff Health News, ABC News, 11 May 2024 This painful reality is the crux of Ten Fold, the fifth LP from versatile soul/pop artist Yaya Bey. —

Margaret Farrell, SPIN, 10 May 2024 And though this is the crux of what Regarding Her sets out to do, Milliken also makes a point to shed light on the unsustainable financial model of restaurants. —

Heather Platt, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the crux.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.