culmination

noun

cul·​mi·​na·​tion ˌkəl-mə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the action of culminating

2

: culminating position : climax

the culmination of a brilliant career

the culmination of years of research

Synonyms of culmination

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

Choose the Right Synonym for culmination

summit, peak, pinnacle, climax, apex, acme, culmination mean the highest point attained or attainable.

summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

Examples of culmination in a Sentence

This study is the culmination of years of research.

an acting performance that was seen as the culmination of a brilliant career on the stage

Recent Examples on the Web

The list is the culmination of a yearlong editorial vetting process where thousands of products are submitted for consideration and Allure editors run extensive tests to select winners, according to Allure. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

The raid at the Travelodge and Super 8 Hotels on James Circle was a culmination of a yearlong investigation, Brooklyn Center officials said. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

The voting is supposed to be the culmination of their work and ensure that a consensus has been reached. — Esther King, The Dial, 15 Sep. 2026

His dismissal wasn’t so much the result of one outburst or misstep, the person told The Times, but the culmination of a season’s worth of issues that boiled over in the wake of the Nebraska loss. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see culminate

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for culmination

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation