Illustration of crescendo
- mark indicating crescendo 2
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 …—
Down Beat
Down Beat2
: a crescendo musical passage
crescendo
intransitive verb
crescendo
2 of 2adverb or adjective
: with an increase in volume
—used as a direction in music
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
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
That reached a crescendo ahead of Super Bowl LIX, but the Chiefs’ lopsided loss to the Eagles cooled the talk.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
Opening day would reach its crescendo — as McBride alluded to — with the performance by Porter, who was opening the festival’s main arena stage for this 68th edition.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2025
Hype around MySpace reached such a crescendo that Rupert Murdoch purchased it in 2005 for $580 million.
—ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
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.
Noun
Like a teapot on a slow boil, they are supposed to heat up gradually over many months, riding a rising tension that reaches its crescendo in its final weeks, as players or teams slug it out for that last jewel.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
That reached a crescendo ahead of Super Bowl LIX, but the Chiefs’ lopsided loss to the Eagles cooled the talk.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
Opening day would reach its crescendo — as McBride alluded to — with the performance by Porter, who was opening the festival’s main arena stage for this 68th edition.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2025
Hype around MySpace reached such a crescendo that Rupert Murdoch purchased it in 2005 for $580 million.
—ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Cite this Entry
“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crescendo. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share