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
And in his own way, King took Rose higher, providing the score for every climactic moment of the 2011 MVP’s Bulls career.
—
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
With just the finale left to go, this is the point where the momentum should be building to some sort of climactic finale that potentially answers crucial questions about how the island operates.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 10 June 2026
After the zapfest on Earth, the anti-climactic tussle between the forces of good and evil occurs back on Eternia, where He-Man and his nemesis cross swords in a clumsy fight that’s not only predictable but also photographed and edited poorly.
—Jeffrey Ressner, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
Of course, the commercial ends in climactic fashion, as He-Man lifts Skeletor above his head for the grand finale and the sorcerer erupts into his legendary cackle.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
With just the finale left to go, this is the point where the momentum should be building to some sort of climactic finale that potentially answers crucial questions about how the island operates.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 10 June 2026
After the zapfest on Earth, the anti-climactic tussle between the forces of good and evil occurs back on Eternia, where He-Man and his nemesis cross swords in a clumsy fight that’s not only predictable but also photographed and edited poorly.
—Jeffrey Ressner, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
Of course, the commercial ends in climactic fashion, as He-Man lifts Skeletor above his head for the grand finale and the sorcerer erupts into his legendary cackle.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climactic
Adjective
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The second iteration expands the post-apocalyptic universe with more action and an ensemble story and arrives on Prime Video worldwide this Halloween, Prime Video said.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
17 June 2026
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The post-apocalyptic horror film stars Will Smith as a virologist and the last living human in a New York ravaged by a plague that turns humans into vampiric mutants.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Burnham, a former cabinet minister who’s been Mayor of Greater Manchester for the best part of a decade, now re-enters parliament at a pivotal moment for his party.—
Clare Sebastian,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has transformed from an advertising awards show into a pivotal global marketplace where technology, retail, media, luxury, and entertainment converge.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Under California law, police agencies are generally required to release to the public audio and video recordings of police shootings and other critical incidents involving great bodily injury within 45 days of the incident.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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The upgrade is part of the B-52 Radar Modernization Program — a critical component of a broader strategy that aims to extend the B-52’s service life through 2050.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Canada has a chance to take a decisive step toward the knockouts against unfancied Qatar, with all four teams in their group level on 1 point after the Qataris earned a surprise tie with Switzerland.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
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Southgate missed the decisive penalty, in 1996, in a match against Germany.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 June 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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Experts say that because chips perform the advanced computations required for frontier AI systems, cutting off access to the chips is crucial to prevent geopolitical rivals from using AI systems for military or economic purposes.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
18 June 2026
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Performance rotors Rotors also play a crucial role in maximizing your car’s performance.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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The event was a watershed moment for a brand that has carried the stigma of being a hookup app.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
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The watershed district has spent 20 years improving water quality and resilience through stormwater management, shoreline restoration and control of invasive aquatic plants.—
Tyler Quattrin,
Twin Cities,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climactic. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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