A crisis (sounds like cry–sis) is a “tragedy or negative event” that can be political, economic, financial, or environmental, as in the climate crisis. It’s similar in meaning to dilemma or pickle.
What’s the plural of “crisis”?
The nation is facing a major energy crisis.
The company is struggling with several financial crisis.
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- Crisis (pronounced cry–sis) is singular.
- Crises (pronounced cry–seez) is plural.
Like other Greek nouns, crisis switches its suffix to –es as a plural. While regular plurals end in s/-es, like cats and potatoes, these words just add s/-es to the end. Crisis (and diagnosis and analysis) switch to plural by changing its inner vowel from “i” to “e.”
| Sentence examples with “crisis”/”crises” | |
| singular | She was dealing with a family crisis at the time. |
| plural | A succession of economic crises had limited the money available for new social policies. |
Why is the plural of “crisis” “crises”?
The noun crisis entered Latin from the earlier Greek word krisis, which translates to “a turning point in a disease, that change which indicates recovery or death”. Also, “a vitally important or decisive state of things, the point at which change must come, for better or worse”.
Other Greek nouns
The plural of “crisis,” associate the plural “crises” with the extra syllable (“seez”) representing multiple difficulties; singular “crisis” has only one “sis.”.
Nearby words and phrases
| Similar words & phrases | Examples |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | catastrophe, calamity, cataclysm, dilemma, mess, emergency, disaster, impasse, deadlock, pickle, predicament, quandary, culmination, juncture |
| Similar phrases | critical point, critical period, crossroads, hour of decision, dire straits, moment of truth, turning point, point of no return |
History of the word ‘crisis’
|
Early 15c., crise, crisis, “decisive point in the progress of a disease,” also “vitally important or decisive state of things, point at which change must come, for better or worse,” from Latinized form of Greek krisis “turning point in a disease, that change which indicates recovery or death” Etymonline, crisis. |
Learn more about nouns
- What are Possessive Nouns? (Formation of Possessive Nouns)
- Appositive Nouns (Meaning, Explanation & Examples)
- Abstract Nouns vs. Concrete Nouns Explained
- What are Mass Nouns? (Mass Nouns vs Collective Nouns)
- What are Common Nouns vs. Proper Nouns?
- Plural-Only Nouns (Explanation & Examples)
- What are Collective Nouns? (Collective Nouns vs Mass Nouns)
Worksheet
According to the blog post, what is the correct plural form of the noun “crisis”?
How is the plural form, “crises,” typically pronounced?
The blog post mentions that “crisis” is a noun that entered English from which language?
Which of the following words forms its plural similarly to “crisis,” according to the blog post?
Which sentence correctly uses a form of “crisis” based on the examples in the blog post?
She was dealing with a family at the time.
They discussed the multiple environmental affecting the planet.
The company is struggling with several financial .
Most people blame the government for the country’s worsening economic .
A succession of economic had limited the money available.
FAQs
What is the plural form of “crisis”?
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How is the plural “crises” pronounced?
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Why does the plural of crisis change?
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When do I use “crisis” or “crises”?
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What is a common mistake with “crisis”?
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Sources
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Example sentences from dictionary.com Definition of crisis Noah Webster Synonyms of crisis/crises Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of crisis.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/crisis. Accessed 11 October 2023. Crisis, Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, accessed on October 11, 2023.
Yash, D. "How to Use Crisis Plural (Crisis, Crisises?)." Grammarflex, Aug 24, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/crisis-plural/.
