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
Emotionally cornered and spiritually exhausted, Anatoly at last lets everything rupture to the surface, sustaining the anthem's climactic note for over 20 seconds.
—
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Presumably, the producers dreamt of climactic episodes in which the twins or the husband and wife were head-to-head for elimination or victory, raising the stakes.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026
In the film’s climactic scene, Cioffi’s character, revealed as the killer, attempts to murder Bree before dying by suicide in a dramatic plunge from a skyscraper.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 May 2026
The climactic tension of the fourth quarter gave way to an easy overtime, with New York out-scoring Cleveland 14-3.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Presumably, the producers dreamt of climactic episodes in which the twins or the husband and wife were head-to-head for elimination or victory, raising the stakes.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026
In the film’s climactic scene, Cioffi’s character, revealed as the killer, attempts to murder Bree before dying by suicide in a dramatic plunge from a skyscraper.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 May 2026
The climactic tension of the fourth quarter gave way to an easy overtime, with New York out-scoring Cleveland 14-3.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climactic
Adjective
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One is focused on Juliette in the present day, and the other explores pre-apocalyptic life before the silos.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
-
The homicide rate in the city is at a 66-year low, a problem for his apocalyptic message.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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Trivia questions, the barrier for entry, center around pivotal women in history.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
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That makes their result a pivotal statement not only about the chemistry that supports life, but also about whether quantum computers are needed to understand it.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Suzanne Swierc Ball State University agreed to pay $225,000 to its former health director, Suzanne Swierc, after she was fired for making a critical social media post following Kirk's assassination, according to reporting from IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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Studying the history of the Winkie and Lord, Miller, and Muntadas’s video anthology offers us perhaps an alternative path out of our current critical doom loop.—
Jonathan Odden,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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In a decisive upset, Democrat John Forbes won his party’s nomination in the June 2 primary election for Polk County supervisor in District 1, unseating incumbent Matt McCoy.—
Virginia Barreda,
Des Moines Register,
3 June 2026
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Because more than 70 percent of voters supported other candidates in the first round, both Fujimori and Sánchez have sought to broaden their appeal ahead of the decisive vote.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
3 June 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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That data is crucial to understanding and adapting to climate change and to a vast array of industries on land and at sea like aquaculture, shipping especially through icy waters, coastal tourism, agriculture and even navies, Le Traon said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
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Without the armrests on one side, the silhouette creates airiness, something that’s crucial in a couch for a small space.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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This workshop will teach you how to remove your lawn and create a watershed-wise landscape; managing weeds, pests and disease; and lawn care strategies to improve resilience.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
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Cuba's shootdown in 1996 of two Cessna aircraft operated by the Brothers to the Rescue was a watershed moment in decades of hostilities between the two countries.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climactic. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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