emergency

juncture, exigency, emergency, contingency, pinch, strait (or straits) crisis mean a critical or crucial time or state of affairs.

juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.