crescendo

1 of 2

noun

cre·​scen·​do krə-ˈshen-(ˌ)dō 

plural crescendos also crescendoes or crescendi krə-ˈshen-dē 

1

a

: a gradual increase

a crescendo of excitement

specifically : a gradual increase in volume of a musical passage

b

: the peak of a gradual increase : climax

… complaints about stifling smog conditions reach a crescendo …

—DownBeat

2

: a crescendo musical passage

crescendo intransitive verb

Illustration of crescendo

• mark indicating crescendo 2

crescendo

2 of 2

adverb or adjective

: with an increase in volume

—used as a direction in music

Synonyms of crescendo

Noun

• pinnacle
• zenith
• culmination
• peak
• top
• height
• climax
• apex

Examples of crescendo in a Sentence

Noun

The noise rose to a crescendo.

excitement in the auditorium slowly built up and reached its crescendo when the star walked on stage

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

His performances that summer reached a crescendo in the knockout stage — netting against Wales in the quarter-finals, bagging a hat-trick in the last four against France and then scoring twice in the final against Sweden. —Will Jeanes, New York Times, 20 June 2026

The World Cup, held every four years, represents a month-long crescendo of a three-year competition among men’s national soccer teams in FIFA. —Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 19 June 2026

Herzi’s slender, unassuming drama contains few emotional crescendos or grand insights, although this is the rare French film to center on a Muslim lesbian as its protagonist. —Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026

Welcome to the start of the 2026 offseason for all intents and purposes, when chatter begins at a murmur before blossoming into a crescendo. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Italian, noun derivative of crescendo "increasing," gerund of crescere "to increase, grow," going back to Latin crēscere "to come into existence, increase in size or numbers" — more at crescent entry 1

Adverb or adjective

borrowed from Italian — more at crescendo entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb Or Adjective

1807, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for crescendo

• arguendo
• innuendo
• endo
• tendo

Kids Definition

crescendo

noun

cre·​scen·​do

kri-ˈshen-dō

plural crescendos or crescendoes

1

: a gradual increase especially in the loudness of music

2

: the peak of a gradual increase

crescendo adverb or adjective