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. The English verb culminate was drawn (via Medieval Latin) from the Late Latin verb culminare, meaning “to crown,” specifically for this astronomical application. Its ultimate root is the Latin noun 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 of culminate

• complete
• finish
• conclude
• crown
• climax

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

The camp culminates with campers performing insdie the 1,044-seat Musco Center for the Arts. —Jessie Dax-Setkus, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026

Jeff Malott’s defensive-zone turnover keyed a sequence that culminated in a rebound coming to Thompson. —Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026

Ingram was one of more than 20 Texas and Americana artists to show up for a festival that culminated in a two-hour tribute set by guest vocalists backed by a six-piece house band. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2026

The bit culminated in Norris himself confronting O’Brien in 2004. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for culminate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

culminate

verb

cul·​mi·​nate ˈkəl-mə-ˌnāt 

culminated; culminating

: to reach the highest point

culmination

ˌkəl-mə-ˈnā-shən

noun