culminate

verb

cul·​mi·​nate ˈkəl-mə-ˌnāt 

culminated; culminating

intransitive verb

1

of a celestial body : to reach its highest altitude

During the summer solstice, the sun culminates over the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere.

also : to be directly overhead

2

a

: to rise to or form a summit

… enormous waves culminated and fell with the report of thunder.

—Frederick Marryat

b

: to reach the highest or a climactic or decisive point

Her long acting career culminated when she won the Oscar.

transitive verb

: to bring to a head or to the highest point

The contract culminated weeks of negotiations.

Did you know?

When a star or other heavenly body culminates, it reaches its highest point above the horizon from the vantage point of an observer on the ground. Culminate was drawn from Medieval Latin culminare, meaning "to crown," specifically for this astronomical application. Its ultimate root is Latin culmen, meaning "top." Today, the word’s typical context is less lofty: it can mean “to reach a climactic point,” as in “a long career culminating in a prestigious award,” but it can also simply mean "to reach the end of something,” as in “a sentence culminating in a period.”

Synonyms

• cap (off)
• climax
• crown

Examples of culminate in a Sentence

A bitter feud culminated months of tension.

culminated the school year with a trip to New York

Recent Examples on the Web

Inside the auditorium, enthusiastic festival-goers cheered and broke into applause several times throughout the film, culminating in a standing ovation as John took the stage. —Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 7 Sep. 2024

This interplay between the texture of the dress and the hints of transparency provided a spectacular pose that culminated in the last red carpet of the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival. —Teresa Romero Martínez, Glamour, 7 Sep. 2024

The students then engaged in a months-long mentorship program through Supima, culminating in a showcase of eveningwear capsule collections that highlights the unique characteristics of Supima cotton. —Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 6 Sep. 2024

Despite starting last year in blistering form, the Eagles’ season collapsed entirely toward the backend of the campaign – culminating in a disappointing loss in the NFC Wild Card round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. —Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 6 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin culminatus, past participle of culminare, from Late Latin, to crown, from Latin culmin-, culmen top — more at hill

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

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Kids Definition

culminate

verb

cul·​mi·​nate ˈkəl-mə-ˌnāt 

culminated; culminating

: to reach the highest point

culmination

ˌkəl-mə-ˈnā-shən

noun