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

For hours, officials, journalists and onlookers stood outside as the culmination of a yearslong campaign to prove wrongdoing in Fulton’s 2020 election reached a new crescendo. — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 8 Sep. 2026

The players either dramatically make or subtly avoid eye contact with one another as the song builds to an epic crescendo, complete with eerie chanting, orchestral bombast, and booming timpani drums. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026

Equal parts fantastic and frenetic, Northern California’s annual Monterey Car Week comes to a crescendo with Sunday’s storied Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 17 Aug. 2026

But hope can be spun from the darkest of shadows, and the Night Court has its own part to play in the looming crescendo. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 17 Aug. 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