Synonyms of climactic

climactic

adjective

klī-ˈmak-tik 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• apocalyptic
• pivotal
• critical
• highest
• decisive
• climacteric
• culminating
• crucial
• watershed
• high
• fateful
• crowning
• epochal
• life-and-death
• momentous
• apical
• meridian
• earthshaking
• crestal
• crossover
• payoff
• vital
• make-or-break
• apogean
• deciding
• cataclysmal
• go-no-go

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• trivial
• anticlimactic
• unimportant
• insignificant
• inconsequential
• indecisive
• noncritical

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of climactic

Still, that climactic scene in the saga was dramatic enough to prompt a meeting Wednesday morning, and Waddell included director of player personnel Rick Nash in the discussion. — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Angèle, the makeup artist, has been writing a real-life account of her observations at work, and her writings apostrophize the action, most extensively during a climactic scene in which the staging of the runway show falls prey to bad weather. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 June 2026

The ending of van Dongen’s journey was decidedly anti-climactic. — Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026

The second season had 8 episodes, compared with 10 in the first season—a decision that pushed some climactic battles into the third season. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 June 2026