as in apocalyptic
of, relating to, or being a major turning point
the French Revolution is usually regarded as one of the climactic events in modern European history
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Recent Examples of climactic
The climactic scenes toy with the blurred lines between hallucination and reality, but the logic falls apart; threads like Hana’s rash decision to undertake a dangerous surgical fix virtually evaporate without much payoff.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
This looks climactic for you personally, a real turning point that might shift your life circumstances in loud, obvious ways.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Jan. 2026
During that film's climactic biplane battle between Cruise's Ethan Hunt and Esai Morales' villainous Gabriel, Cruise dangles mid-air from a seatbelt as the plane flips upside down.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
The real Chichiarelli was shot six times under mysterious circumstances a few months after his role in the Securmark robbery, similar enough to the climactic murder in The Big Fake for director Lodovichi to playfully suggest, like a good noir should, that facts can easily be fiction in disguise.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for climactic
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
This looks climactic for you personally, a real turning point that might shift your life circumstances in loud, obvious ways.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Jan. 2026
During that film's climactic biplane battle between Cruise's Ethan Hunt and Esai Morales' villainous Gabriel, Cruise dangles mid-air from a seatbelt as the plane flips upside down.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
The real Chichiarelli was shot six times under mysterious circumstances a few months after his role in the Securmark robbery, similar enough to the climactic murder in The Big Fake for director Lodovichi to playfully suggest, like a good noir should, that facts can easily be fiction in disguise.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climactic
Adjective
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Based on the 2022 indie horror game, the film follows a convict in a post-apocalyptic future who must scavenge for resources in an ocean of blood.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
7 Feb. 2026
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As Deadline has reported, the post-apocalyptic drama is expected to end with its upcoming third season.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Trump’s comments have also raised fears among Democrats and voting-rights groups that the president could try to intervene in this year’s pivotal midterm elections, as Republicans try to hold on to slim majorities in both chambers.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
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The partnership was a pivotal moment for Williams and his brand.—
Tara Larson,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The film received strong critical acclaim upon its release, holding a 95% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
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Some 25 million people viewed the spot, by the way, but only 15 commented on it, and most were critical.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Khamenei remains the decisive figure in Iran’s system even as the regime faces pressure at home and abroad.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Iran’s military has warned that any attack would be met with an immediate and decisive response, including strikes on US forces and assets in the region.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Keeping high-ethylene producers away from climacteric fruits can keep them from ripening too quickly.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
15 July 2025
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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
Adjective
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Trump supported Milei’s fiscal program last year with a $20-billion credit line that succeeded in calming markets and boosting Milei’s prospects in a crucial midterm election in October.—
Isabel Debre,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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While Singh’s lawyer Jitender Khurana denies any political motive for his client’s paroles, his previous releases coincided with crucial state elections, fueling speculation that his freedom is a reward for the Dera’s electoral support.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That film, now recognized as a watershed moment, helped revolutionize the independent film business.—
Rena Ronson,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
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NikeSkims, the watershed partnership between sportswear giant Nike and Kim Kardashian‘s label-of-the-moment Skims, has just made a splash in the world of footwear.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climactic. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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