as in climactic
of, relating to, or being a major turning point
as the war reached its climacteric phase, the atrocities dramatically increased, both in number and brutality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in climax
a point in a chain of events at which an important change (as in one's fortunes) occurs
historians attempting to pinpoint the Roman Empire's climacteric, that precise moment when it began its long downhill slide
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of climacteric
Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021
Macerating unripe climacteric fruit in sugar, however, isn’t a substitute for ripening them; that just takes time in your kitchen counter’s fruit basket.
—Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 8 May 2017
Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 31 May 2022
Adjective
For this reader, roughly the same age as Sam Raymond, there is uncommon pleasure in the paradoxes of this climacteric tale.
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021
Macerating unripe climacteric fruit in sugar, however, isn’t a substitute for ripening them; that just takes time in your kitchen counter’s fruit basket.
—Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 8 May 2017
Noun
These are called climacteric, and will respond to the presence of ethylene by producing more ethylene.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 31 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climacteric
Adjective
-
Stop One: Phuket Stay Here: Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas set the stage for some of this season’s most climactic scenes.—
Ashlee Marie Preston,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
Serra details the ritualized battles, from the wounding of bulls by picadors to the matador’s climactic kill, and observes Roca being dressed in his elaborate costumes by a skilled associate.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Game 5s are the beginning of the climax in a close series.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
-
This is the literal last day of the shoot, which also unfortunately is the climax of Episode 10.—
William Earl,
Variety,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
Flying Blue Program Turns 20 The loyalty program of Air France-KLM and several other airlines has reached its 20th milestone and is celebrating with numerous offers.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
-
In its second milestone in a week, Tesla arranged for a Model Y crossover to drive itself from its Texas factory to a customer in downtown Austin some 30 minutes away.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
In 2023 then-secretary of the interior Deb Haaland issued a 20-year administrative mineral withdrawal for 225,000 acres in the watershed.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2025
-
Droughts in the Amazon River in 2023 and 2024 caused more nitrogen and phosphorus to build up in the watershed.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
Spielberg deftly mixes in real-life post-9/11 anxiety to this end-of-the-world story to create something that feels legitimately apocalyptic.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
-
Villarreal: Inherent to this apocalyptic event is this idea of starting over, starting fresh and trying to correct some of the mistakes or errors of the past.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
The landmark agreement is the equivalent of NBC, or another major American commercial network, handing over its output to Netflix.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
19 June 2025
-
The halls of this storied landmark have long been filled with ambition and elegance.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
The lasting impact of the 1953 coup While the U.S. and Iran have butt heads over a range of issues since the 1979 revolution and hostage crisis, including years of strife over Iran’s nuclear program, the 1953 coup remains a critical event still invoked in modern Iran.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
-
The honorees will receive grants of up to $110,000 annually for up to five years to conduct research on critical topics in neuroscience, cancer, immunology and pain.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
The images of the attack were pivotal to Erin Smith's efforts to change the designation of her husband's death.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 June 2025
-
These three organizations were pivotal to Hurricane Helene relief efforts and continue to help the community rebuild.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Climacteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climacteric. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share