anticlimax

noun an·ti·cli·max \ -ˈklī-ˌmaks \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Examples: anticlimax in a Sentence

Definition of anticlimax

1 : the usually sudden transition in discourse from a significant idea to a trivial or ludicrous idea; also : an instance of this transition

2 : an event, period, or outcome that is strikingly less important or dramatic than expected

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Examples of anticlimax in a Sentence

The last chapter of the book was an anticlimax.
The movie ended in anticlimax.

Recent Examples of anticlimax from the Web

Her announcement was quite an anticlimax, perhaps the biggest in tennis since Roger Federer withdrew with a back injury before the championship match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Novak Djokovic in 2014.

— christopher clarey, New York Times, "Serena Williams Withdraws With Injury Before Facing Sharapova," 4 June 2018
But the book’s anticlimax is the hook upon which the whole thing hangs.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "In On Chesil Beach, a Longing Unfulfilled," 17 May 2018
The story meanders near the end, but the anticlimax can't quite dispel the movie's warm eccentricity.

— j.r. jones, Chicago Reader, "The Chicago Film Critics Association takes a break from journalism to present its own slate of films," 3 May 2018
Talk about an anticlimax: On Thursday the Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo 57-42 after Democrats threatened for weeks to torpedo the Secretary of State for no reason other than rank partisanship.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Road Testing the 2019 Resistance," 26 Apr. 2018
There was an element of anticlimax to Tillerson’s exit.

— anne gearan, Washington Post, "In the end, no one was more surprised that Tillerson was fired than Tillerson," 13 Mar. 2018
After days of almost feverish anticipation — indeed, in private, a few forum organizers complained of the media fixation over Trump's appearance — the speech was a bit of an anticlimax.

— ishaan tharoor, Washington Post, "Trump enters the Davos club by charming the plutocrats," 26 Jan. 2018
My colleague Heather Long reports that ears of some in attendance perked up at that: The relatively brief address came as an anticlimax.

— tory newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202, Davos Edition: Trump makes Trump Steaks-style pitch for foreign investment," 26 Jan. 2018
By the game’s third drive, which ended with Robinson’s interception, the Eagles had rendered Diggs’s catch anticlimax.

— ben shpigel, New York Times, "Eagles March Past Vikings to Super Bowl, Just as They Predicted," 21 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anticlimax.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of anticlimax

1696

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody

ANTICLIMAX Defined for English Language Learners

anticlimax

noun

Definition of anticlimax for English Language Learners

: something that is much less exciting or dramatic than it was expected to be : a dull or disappointing ending or result

Learn More about anticlimax

See words that rhyme with anticlimax Spanish Central: Translation of anticlimax Nglish: Translation of anticlimax for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about anticlimax

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anticlimax

Definition of anticlimax

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First Known Use of anticlimax

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anticlimax

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