as in pinnacle
the highest part or point
excitement in the auditorium slowly built up and reached its crescendo when the star walked on stage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to peak
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crescendo
Natasha Frost, New York Times, 22 May 2025
The show and storm built to a dramatic crescendo with the clouds opening to Biblical buckets just as guests ran for the exit.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 26 June 2025
The intensity of the chocolate builds to a crescendo of cocoa, then subsides with a sip of milk.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Michael Cox Baltimore the hero Sandy Baltimore left the pitch in injury time to a deafening noise, a crescendo of applause for a player who carved the final in her image.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Verb
One reason is his mastery of crescendo, especially in his short stories.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 22 May 2025
The show and storm built to a dramatic crescendo with the clouds opening to Biblical buckets just as guests ran for the exit.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 26 June 2025
The intensity of the chocolate builds to a crescendo of cocoa, then subsides with a sip of milk.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Michael Cox Baltimore the hero Sandy Baltimore left the pitch in injury time to a deafening noise, a crescendo of applause for a player who carved the final in her image.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crescendo
Noun
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Young reached the pinnacle of success in high school at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif.—he was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020—and in college at Alabama.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
7 July 2025
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That said, James Cameron's epic reaches the pinnacle of disaster-movie impudence with the distasteful suggestion that the most celebrated tragedy of the 20th century occurred because a few lookouts were distracted by Kate and Leo sucking face.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
Verb
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It’s been three years since interest rates peaked and yet many savers are still sitting in accounts that are earning peanuts.—
Jill Schlesinger,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
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The track peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped cement Lil' Kim's status as one of hip-hop's most daring and influential female voices.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
Noun
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The relationship embodies the zenith of the client-advisor dynamic, one that extends beyond the scope and term of a contract or the legacy boundaries of functional expertise.—
Mark A. Cohen,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
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For such a humanist filmmaker, Boyle reached his zenith by pondering us at our lowest point.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Svelte yet heavy, Clipse’s latest sees all their phonetic and poetical gifts rendered to subtly maximal effect, with their lithe vocals cresting Pharrell’s glossy surfaces like snowfall.—
Peter A. Berry,
Variety,
11 July 2025
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Kerr County officials said the Guadalupe River, which runs through the region, is currently cresting at 39 feet or more — up from about 3 feet before the rainfall.—
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán,
NPR,
5 July 2025
Noun
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For Jake, who played basketball at Washington University from 2021 to 2023, draft night was a culmination of the family’s dream: older brother Josh also played college ball at Lehigh University.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
People.com,
26 June 2025
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Receiving this honorary Oscar is the culmination of a dream.—
Jon Burlingame,
Variety,
26 June 2025
Noun
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The first came in the top of the fourth when Buehler walked Josh Lowe and served up a two-run home run to Ha-Seong Kim, his first of the season to put the Rays ahead 2-1.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
11 July 2025
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Drizzle with oil, top with feta, cilantro, black pepper, and the reserved shrimp legs, and serve.—
Greg Chelmis,
Saveur,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Chambray may be a humble fabric, but 100 Hands has elevated it to new heights with its Iced Washed Japanese Chambray Shirt.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
7 July 2025
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The first-floor gallery is confusing enough with its varying ceiling heights and tomb-like layout.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
7 July 2025
Noun
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Is the Michelin star really in the bag, as Episode 3’s snowy climax would suggest?—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
1 July 2025
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The Capricorn full moon on July 10th brings a climax in your friendship or community life.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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