Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of crux

33 similar words

Another word for crux is soul. Other synonyms of crux are kernel, substance, gist, bowels and sum.

Synonyms and similar words for crux

nounThe basic, central, or essential point or feature.

  • core
  • essence
  • heartThe centre, essence, or core.
  • gistThe main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter; the crux, the heart...
  • bowelsThe concept or quality that defines something at its very core.
  • sumA central idea or point; gist.
  • brass tacks
  • drift
  • gutsThe essential, core parts.
  • gravamenThe essence or most important aspect of a piece of writing, a point of argument, etc.; the gist.
  • heart and soulThe core of a thing; the most essential or important part.
  • kernelThe core, center, or essence of an object or system.
  • marrowThe essence; the best part.
  • meatThe best or most substantial part of something.
  • moral of the storyThe key lesson or message that an incident, situation or other happening conveys; a general takeaway point.
  • nitty-grittyThe core or essence of something; the gist.
  • nubThe essence or core of an issue, argument etc.
  • nuts and boltsThe basic inner workings of something; the fundamentals; that which makes something operate.
  • pith figurativelyThe essential or vital part of something; the essence.
  • punctum saliensStarting point, source; gist.
  • quintessenceThe essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form.
  • soulThe spirit or essence of anything.
  • spirit
  • stuff
  • substanceThe essential part of anything; the most vital part.
  • tenor
  • heartstring archaicThe essential or vital part of something; the core, the essence, the heart.
  • heartstrings archaicThe essential or vital part of something; the core, the essence, the heart.
  • inwardness obsoleteThe internal or true state; the essential nature.

nounA puzzle or difficulty.

  • enigma
  • puzzleA thing such as a complicated matter or a problem which is difficult to make sense of or understand; also, a person who...
  • riddle
  • conundrumA difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.

Meaning of crux

  1. noun The basic, central, or essential point or feature.
  2. noun The critical or transitional moment or issue, a turning point.
  3. noun A puzzle or difficulty.

Full definition of crux

crux in other languages

Questions about synonyms of crux

What is another word for crux?
Crux has 33 synonyms on Word.ws, such as soul, kernel, substance, gist, bowels, sum, nub and puzzle.
What does crux mean?
Crux means the basic, central, or essential point or feature.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: crux (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Cite this page: “Synonyms of crux.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/crux. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.