crescendo

1 of 2

noun

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 …

—DownBeat

2

: a crescendo musical passage

crescendo intransitive verb

Illustration of crescendo

• mark indicating crescendo 2

crescendo

2 of 2

adverb or adjective

: with an increase in volume

—used as a direction in music

Synonyms of crescendo

Noun

• pinnacle
• zenith
• culmination
• peak
• top
• height
• climax
• apex

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

Noun

That career-redefining campaign reached a crescendo in South Florida with a 27-21 win over UM in the College Football Playoff National Championship. —Noah White, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026

The crescendos of Tines’s operatic bass-baritone bleed through the entirety of the Geffen like thunder, concretizing the space into a heartbeat of resistance that reanimates the categorization of witness. —Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026

Read on to see a selection of gorgeous images captured from Earth and space on the nights surrounding the Lyrid's crescendo, as shooting stars tore fiery paths through the early spring sky. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2026

The new father, wearing the jersey of Sabres forward and occasional golf partner Alex Tuch, then chugged a can of beer before violently throwing it to the ground to a crescendo of cheers. —ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Italian, noun derivative of crescendo "increasing," gerund of crescere "to increase, grow," going back to Latin crēscere "to come into existence, increase in size or numbers" — more at crescent entry 1

Adverb or adjective

borrowed from Italian — more at crescendo entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb Or Adjective

1807, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for crescendo

• arguendo
• innuendo
• endo
• tendo

Kids Definition

crescendo

noun

cre·​scen·​do

kri-ˈshen-dō

plural crescendos or crescendoes

1

: a gradual increase especially in the loudness of music

2

: the peak of a gradual increase

crescendo adverb or adjective