as in crises
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
we're at the zero hour, so someone has to make a decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of zero hours
Nevertheless, this is an improvement on the zero hours that (many) men were doing 50 years ago.
—
Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Nov. 2025
Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zero hours
Noun
-
But the war is also having a less visible, yet potentially more consequential, impact on some of the world’s other conflicts and crises.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Biden administration extended TPS for Haiti several times because of economic, health and political crises in the wake of the assassination of its president in 2021.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Consider the other teams that, like the Mets, have high expectations and have swiftly reached a crossroads.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Rabat is a cultural crossroads where books help transmit knowledge and the arts in all their diversity.—
Connor Sturges,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The event included the greeting of heads of delegation and the traditional family photo, ahead of the start of the leadersâ meeting.—
Armando Regil Velasco,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Tolle showed off his renowned 99 mph fastball while mixing in an improved arsenal of secondary pitches, and the Yankees couldn’t make heads or tails of him the first time through the order.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Zero hours.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zero%20hours. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
