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chips are down

ADJECTIVE
momentous
Synonyms
STRONGEST
consequential crucial decisive eventful far-reaching fateful historic meaningful memorable notable pivotal significant weighty
WEAK
big considerable critical earth-shaking earth-shattering epochal grave heavy heavy number material of moment outstanding substantial vital
Antonyms
STRONGEST
inconsequential insignificant meaningless ordinary trivial uneventful unimportant unnoteworthy unremarkable unsubstantial
WEAK
immaterial trifling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Shares in CoreWeave, which builds data centers with Nvidia chips, are down 26% since it revealed a delay last month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

When the chips are down — when he can’t get a solo career off the ground or a regular gig — Slick checks his ego and sells timeshares to make ends meet.

From Salon • May 31, 2024

And we have both found comfort in the companionship of cats, known for self-sufficiency but also, quiet as it’s kept, quite loving and dependable when the chips are down.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2024

He also has Galvin, who might be a better pick when the chips are down.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2024

When the chips are down, though, it was still the foot soldier, the infantry, that had to take the ground and hold it, foot by bloody foot.

From Two Timer by Brown, Fredric