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.
There's a climactic moment in Palm Springs when Poppy cuts down the plastic just in time for a summer rainstorm to hit. Ashley Boucher, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026 At the climactic sally, six aerial bombs were dropped; none scored a direct hit, but their detonations damaged the hull so severely that the ship sank in 21 minutes. Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026 That lack of forward momentum is exactly what has made Stranger Things’s final season so far feel strangely anti-climactic. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025 Much of the backlash is about how the moment was handled — a show-stopping speech right as the show’s action was escalating into its climactic crisis that some felt was cringey and jarring. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 29 Dec. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/climactic. Accessed 10 Jan. 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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