climactic

adjective

cli·​mac·​tic klī-ˈmak-tik How to pronounce climactic (audio)
klə-
Synonyms of climacticnext
: of, relating to, or constituting a climax
the film's climactic scene
climactically adverb

Examples of climactic in a Sentence

At the climactic moment, the main character of the novel finds herself face to face with the thief. the movie's climactic chase scene
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Between Duke, Kaulo, and Beckett’s plotting, there are enough moving parts to drive the story toward a climactic, incendiary end. Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026 With climactic changes abreast and habitat loss due to human encroachment, there are few places left in North America where a bear will live out its life and never encounter a human. Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026 Shell did not take part in the climactic week-and-a-half of negotiations with WBD, according to people familiar with the talks. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2026 There’s plenty of satisfying comic justice to come when Salieri is left alone to his own devices — and to spend a lot of climactic alone time with the audience — long after his bete noire is gone. Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for climactic

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of climactic was in 1747

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Cite this Entry

“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/climactic. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

climactic

adjective
cli·​mac·​tic klī-ˈmak-tik How to pronounce climactic (audio)
klə-
: of, relating to, or being a climax
the movie's climactic scene

Medical Definition

climactic

adjective
cli·​mac·​tic klī-ˈmak-tik How to pronounce climactic (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting a climax

More from Merriam-Webster on climactic

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