climactic

adjective

klī-ˈmak-tik How to pronounce climactic (audio)
Definition of climacticnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 climactic Fans continue to ask Carney about Hadestown’s climactic moment, when Orpheus dooms Eurydice forever by turning to look at her on the road back from hell. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 The show opens by foreshadowing a past disaster involving the lighting fixture at the Paris Opéra House, which comes to fruition at the end of Act 1 when the titular Phantom sends it crashing in a climactic fit of rage. — Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 Eight years later, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon — a remarkable achievement that was the climactic moment of the Cold War space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 July 2026 One issue at play was the climactic fight, which was reconfigured. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for climactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climactic
  1. apocalyptic
  2. pivotal
  3. critical
  4. decisive
  5. climacteric
  6. crucial
  7. watershed
Adjective
  • The migrants were never going to be able to reach the mainland EU, but that fact was irrelevant to hard-right, anti-migrant politicians around the world who portrayed the incident in apocalyptic terms.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The book’s post-apocalyptic setting ennobles its meditations on selfhood and finitude; the narrator’s search for perpetuity is lent an unshakable gravity by her circumstances.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of apocalyptic
Adjective
  • The high state of prices at retail and for necessities remains one of the most pivotal factors impacting consumers’ views of the economy, the U-M study showed.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Morton more recently portrayed Circe in Christopher Nolan‘s epic, The Odyssey — a goddess with the ability to turn people into animals, appearing in a pivotal moment in the story of protagonist Odysseus’ tumultuous journey home after the Trojan War.
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of pivotal
Adjective
  • With the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, du Plessis views this as a critical, yet temporary, opportunity to transform cricket into a mainstream American sport, stressing that success demands proactive vision.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • As in the maritime domain, AI governance is becoming the new frontier of a Cold War-style contest between China and the US, which both sides see as critical to their national security and prosperity.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of critical
Adjective
  • Crowley's mention of the Evers endorsement drew a round of applause at both of his campaign stops in New Glarus and Madison this week, but similar votes of confidence haven't always been decisive in other primaries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Crowley’s mention of the Evers endorsement drew a round of applause at both of his campaign stops in New Glarus and Madison this week, but similar votes of confidence haven’t always been decisive in other primaries.
    — Scott Bauer, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of decisive
Adjective
  • Keeping high-ethylene producers away from climacteric fruits can keep them from ripening too quickly.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 July 2025
  • 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
Definition of climacteric
Adjective
  • Other key matchups include Amanda Lemos facing late replacement Alexia Thainara, and Miles Johns seeking a crucial win.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • In a game of fine margins, which way those nations swing could prove crucial.
    — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of crucial
Adjective
  • The unanimous ruling was seen by supporters of self-identification as a watershed moment, pushing India ahead of much of South Asia on transgender rights.
    — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026
  • The watershed department, days after the June 27 incident, said the chemical spill at the South River facility did not cause the fish kill.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of watershed

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climacterics
climactic
climate
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Cite this Entry

“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climactic. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of climactic for Spanish Speakers

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