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climactic

adjective

klī-ˈmak-tik How to pronounce climactic (audio)
Definition of climacticnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 climactic North by Northwest contains several of the most thrilling sequences in the director’s filmography, including the darkly comedic drunk driving scene, the showdown with the crop duster, and the climactic chase atop Mount Rushmore. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 One especially colorful backdrop punctuates a climactic scene in which Einbinder and Anderson walk hand-in-hand, covered in blood. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 Every other entry either dwells in its characters’ filth throughout or reveals a new level of depravity as the climactic joke. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026 Her tearful, climactic phone call with Heath Ledger's character is absolutely devastating. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for climactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climactic
  1. apocalyptic
  2. pivotal
  3. critical
  4. decisive
  5. climacteric
  6. crucial
  7. watershed
Adjective
  • But don’t participate in their apocalyptic—We’re going to Mars.
    — Victoria Feng, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The apocalyptic fears boiling up in the play are perhaps even more acutely felt today, with the ravages of climate change compounding each year and the threat of AI hanging an existential cloud over our heads.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of apocalyptic
Adjective
  • The settlement resolved a pivotal case years in the making that sought to hold the tech giant accountable for the role its platforms played in undermining children's mental health.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The order of several pivotal scenes in Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis was switched up for the film adaptation of the bestselling romance novel, which is directed by Claire Scanlon and stars Tom Bateman and Lili Reinhart.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of pivotal
Adjective
  • America is at a critical crossroads for the type of future in store beyond issues of affordability, groceries and gas prices due to global conflicts.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Numerous books written by women who fled the FLDS community provide autobiographical and critical accounts of the group.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of critical
Adjective
  • But both countries are vying for a decisive advantage on AI, with Trump warning that any efforts to regulate the technology would help China.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • These artists are working in very different places and from very different positions, but their images all seem to understand that a ‘decisive moment’ can happen under pressure.
    — PhotoVogue, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of decisive
Adjective
  • Keeping high-ethylene producers away from climacteric fruits can keep them from ripening too quickly.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 July 2025
  • 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
Definition of climacteric
Adjective
  • And the tariffs are a terrible idea in any event, amounting to a consumer tax and interrupting crucial trade.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Still, the current team does have a rare shot at shaping an orchestra that is not only reliably exciting and frequently profound but also casually bold and genuinely fun — making for a crucial presence in the city as well as at Geffen Hall.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of crucial
Adjective
  • These will show whether the vote was a watershed moment in the demise of an anti-fascist consensus dating back to World War II, or the latest in a series of elections worldwide in which frustrated voters simply cast out incumbents.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Regulators and online safety advocates called it a watershed moment, and both Meta and state attorneys general called on TikTok and YouTube to make similar changes.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of watershed

Browse Nearby Words

climacterics
climactic
climate
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Cite this Entry

“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climactic. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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