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climax 1 of 2

Definition of climaxnext

climax

2 of 2

verb

as in to finish
to bring to a triumphant conclusion organizers climaxed the county fair with a down and dirty pie-eating contest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun climax differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of climax are acme, apex, culmination, peak, pinnacle, and summit. While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

Where would acme be a reasonable alternative to climax?

In some situations, the words acme and climax are roughly equivalent. However, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

When is apex a more appropriate choice than climax?

Although the words apex and climax have much in common, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When would culmination be a good substitute for climax?

The words culmination and climax can be used in similar contexts, but culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When can peak be used instead of climax?

While the synonyms peak and climax are close in meaning, peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

In what contexts can pinnacle take the place of climax?

The meanings of pinnacle and climax largely overlap; however, pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

When is it sensible to use summit instead of climax?

The synonyms summit and climax are sometimes interchangeable, but summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

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 climax
Noun
The season ended with the gang war in Kingstown escalating to a violent climax in the finale. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026 The climax was also the first scene with the entire cast together, including Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise. Andrew McGowan, Variety, 15 Dec. 2025
Verb
Her insistence that she’s being hit on and asides about ketchup for her steak climax with a note-perfect response to the news that the restaurant has received some complaints. Jesse Hassenger, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025 Tate McRae was born in the pop summer of 2003, the summer that climaxed in the legendary kiss between Britney and Madonna at the MTV Video Music Awards. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for climax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climax
Noun
  • Most recently, Damon added another major milestone by winning the 2025 USA Boxing National Championships and earning a spot on Team USA's national youth roster.
    Nina Burns, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The testing milestone marks a key step toward launching the robotaxi service in the San Francisco Bay Area later in 2026.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • For homeowners, the couple's guilty pleas marked the culmination of years of financial strain and emotional turmoil.
    Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
  • In the recordings, Neves Valente described the attack as the culmination of long planning.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Reed recently finished his seventh season with the Panthers, resulting in his fewest wins yet with a 4-7 record.
    Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The Clippers were up 85-81 late in the third before the Knicks finished strong to take a 90-87 edge to the fourth.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Until 2000, virtually all the soybeans the country exported had to come from the west and northwest on straight trucks, coming uphill as much as 2,500 feet over 500 miles before dropping the 3,000 feet in 45 miles to its port of Paranagua on the other side of the watershed.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
  • The unplanned stop marks a watershed in their collective journey.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Our destination was a cluster of coral pinnacles called Rib Reef, on the Great Barrier Reef’s outer edge.
    Susan Casey, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
  • For nearly a century, the Oscars stood as a gleaming cathedral to Hollywood prestige, the pinnacle of artistic achievement.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Mills and the Texans’ offense scored a touchdown on all three of their fourth-quarter drives, including the veteran quarterback capping a 14-play, 93-yard drive with a 14-yard run to complete the comeback and give Houston a 30-29 lead — its first of the game.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Despite the game-ending gaffe, Schakel had a strong day, completing 43 of 63 passes for 451 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
    Alex Valdes, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Obama Presidential Center, Chicago The Windy City adds a major cultural landmark with the June opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Hyde Park, the South Side neighborhood Barack Obama called home for more than 20 years.
    Taryn Shorr-Mckee, Midwest Living, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Last month, the California Coastal Commission struck a landmark deal with PG&E that will extend the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo until at least 2030.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • And with both genres still at the zenith of their popularity in Asia, why change a winning formula?
    Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Then, pick a patch of sky 40 degrees away in the direction of your local zenith, which is the point directly above your head.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Climax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climax. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on climax

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