as in apocalyptic
of, relating to, or being a major turning point
the French Revolution is usually regarded as one of the climactic events in modern European history
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Recent Examples of climactic
There's no painful climactic point, just a huge empty space.
—
Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Green’s list of eerie parallels included two swimming-pool metaphors and a climactic injury in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and two strikes.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Following the climactic portrayal of bombings in Iran and Gaza, the Strokes’ video montage ended with a shot of a bomber plane in the air, as the song abruptly ended.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
There’s one climactic moment involving spitting when the staging undermines the action.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Green’s list of eerie parallels included two swimming-pool metaphors and a climactic injury in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and two strikes.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Following the climactic portrayal of bombings in Iran and Gaza, the Strokes’ video montage ended with a shot of a bomber plane in the air, as the song abruptly ended.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
There’s one climactic moment involving spitting when the staging undermines the action.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climactic
Adjective
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This time out, however, the apocalyptic story line has an echo in the real world.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
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Jasper then went on to re-team with Searchlight for post-apocalyptic musical drama O’dessa, starring Sadie Sink, which was released on Hulu in 2025.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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But what makes this offseason a pivotal moment for them is the additional tax rate known as the repeater tax — a more severe financial penalty based on five-year windows, incentivizing owners not to spend excessively over the salary cap for prolonged periods.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
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Furthermore, Sharpe spent six months learning how to tinkle the ivories, an impressive commitment which pays off during the pivotal piano battles and ensures a welcome absence of clumsy cutaways from fingers to face.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Morton was critical in helping the Broncos reach their first-ever playoff appearance, ultimately getting them to Super Bowl XII during the 1977 campaign.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
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When the war started, governments scrambled to adapt to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for energy flowing to Asia.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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These results were championed as the country’s official victory over the virus and a decisive win for those advocating for digital vaccination credential systems.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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After scoring a decisive goal in Buffalo’s series-clinching win against Boston in Game 6, Benson was all over the ice in the first period against Montreal.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Keeping high-ethylene producers away from climacteric fruits can keep them from ripening too quickly.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
15 July 2025
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For this reader, roughly the same age as Sam Raymond, there is uncommon pleasure in the paradoxes of this climacteric tale.—
Claire Messud,
Harper's Magazine,
22 June 2021
Adjective
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Attenborough matters because, for generations of TV viewers, in scores of countries, he has been regarded as the person who best understands one crucial purpose of the medium—who has made the most fruitful use of what television, uniquely, can be for.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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Arsenal are firmly in title-chasing mode and goal difference could still prove crucial, despite Manchester City slipping up against Everton on Monday.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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The move turned out to be a watershed moment for Mansoori, who caught the bug.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 May 2026
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Maher cited Walmart’s recent updates to its policies regarding Sparky, its own AI shopping agent, as a watershed moment for the industry.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climactic. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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