climax 1 of 2

climax

2 of 2

verb

as in to finish
to bring to a triumphant conclusion organizers climaxed the county fair with a down and dirty pie-eating contest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun climax differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of climax are acme, apex, culmination, peak, pinnacle, and summit. While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

Where would acme be a reasonable alternative to climax?

In some situations, the words acme and climax are roughly equivalent. However, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

When is apex a more appropriate choice than climax?

Although the words apex and climax have much in common, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When would culmination be a good substitute for climax?

The words culmination and climax can be used in similar contexts, but culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When can peak be used instead of climax?

While the synonyms peak and climax are close in meaning, peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

In what contexts can pinnacle take the place of climax?

The meanings of pinnacle and climax largely overlap; however, pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

When is it sensible to use summit instead of climax?

The synonyms summit and climax are sometimes interchangeable, but summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

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 climax
Noun
The frenetic energy carried on into Saturday night, the climax of the week, the event whence Burning Man gets its name, when the entire city gathers to watch a towering effigy go up in flames. Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025 Henson embarks on a campaign of revenge, which ranges from Bride Wars-style antics (acid on a wedding dress) to more serious Fatal Attraction-esque offenses, like the beyond-bonkers, ax-wielding climax set on a yacht. Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
The seven-minute song climaxed with a firework show above MetLife Stadium as Liam stood still, balancing a tambourine on his head. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 1 Sep. 2025 There was the ignominy of falling into League One and then the long, arduous road back that climaxed with promotion via the Championship play-off final in May. Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for climax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climax
Noun
  • Someone tried to senselessly end her life, yet now thousands of people are cheering for her and celebrating every milestone.
    Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The transaction marks another milestone in KKR’s expansion in the region.
    Emma Graham, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The deal marked a culmination of sorts for Kohli, 37, who has now spent most of his life working at Friendly’s in some capacity.
    Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
  • This marks the culmination of a journey that began shortly after Sting's retirement.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • To watch Lipe-Smith’s Caroline cuddle in bed watching TV on her iPad, or bopping around to JoJo Siwa, or pensively finishing a Popsicle while sitting beside her grandmother at a museum, is to have the sheer malevolence of our current administration and its adherents thrown into sharp relief.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Having finished the 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado and California’s Sierra Range — including Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the Lower 48 states at 14,500 feet — the next stop for the renowned Spanish endurance athlete is Mount Shasta in northern California, near the Oregon border.
    John Meyer, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino Quintero pledged to restore 250,000 acres of ecosystems, including mangroves and watersheds.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The new partnership between farmers and advocates will let agriculture prosper while protecting one of Indiana's largest watersheds.
    Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Marc Márquez finally hauled himself back to the pinnacle of MotoGP in Japan last weekend, capping one of sport’s most arduous comeback stories with an almost flawless title charge.
    Jonathan Hawkins, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Warner Chappell and Warner Music have always been at the pinnacle of support for songwriters and other music creators, and that reality is still very evident in the current leadership and staff.
    Thania Garcia, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the way, completing 25 of 37 passes for 270 yards and four touchdowns.
    Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Sep. 2025
  • According to Greenpeace's analysis, Russia has also completed construction of a new water supply system for the plant's cooling pond and deliberately damaged a 750-kilovolt power line that had connected the facility to Ukraine's electrical grid.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Politics of Retreat In the UK, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, seeking to head off pressure from Reform, has pledged to repeal the landmark 2008 Climate Change Act, which established binding carbon budgets and created the independent Climate Change Committee.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • As crowds of protesters marched from Place d’Italie toward the Eiffel Tower, the tower’s management announced in a statement that the landmark was closed to visitors due to the strike, according to The Associated Press.
    Ashley J. DiMella, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In other words, at its post-Diana zenith, the support for the monarchy was there but had gone soft.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Classical When Franz Liszt was at the zenith of his fame in the nineteenth century, his fans were so enthralled by his good looks and talent that his mere presence created an atmosphere of mass hysteria.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Climax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climax. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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