1
as in milestones
a point in a chain of events at which an important change (as in one's fortunes) occurs
the climax of the story occurs when the hero discovers the identity of his father
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in culminations
the highest part or point
the climax of her career as a performer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in culminates
to bring to a triumphant conclusion
organizers climaxed the county fair with a down and dirty pie-eating contest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of climaxes
Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026
Thus a wonderful section on The Jew of Malta climaxes in an unfortunate vision of the text as a secret message to Lord Strange, a wealthy and important patron of the arts.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Audition is a slow burn, spending the better part of two hours setting up audiences for arguably one of the most graphic climaxes in horror history.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Joaquin Temes As Argentina's midterm electoral campaign reaches its second and third climaxes, the number of scandalous corruption accusations aimed at the highest echelons of national politics is surging.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
There’s a reason the picture has that title, in other words, and that idea finds a more direct correlation in the finale, which gives us one of the more grotesquely funny climaxes in recent horror.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
Allaire Nuss, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
There was plenty of raw energy in climaxes, sometimes too much for so supportive and reinforcing an acoustic as the Meyerson Symphony Center’s.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026
Thus a wonderful section on The Jew of Malta climaxes in an unfortunate vision of the text as a secret message to Lord Strange, a wealthy and important patron of the arts.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Audition is a slow burn, spending the better part of two hours setting up audiences for arguably one of the most graphic climaxes in horror history.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Joaquin Temes As Argentina's midterm electoral campaign reaches its second and third climaxes, the number of scandalous corruption accusations aimed at the highest echelons of national politics is surging.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
There’s a reason the picture has that title, in other words, and that idea finds a more direct correlation in the finale, which gives us one of the more grotesquely funny climaxes in recent horror.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
In my eyes, the album truly climaxes in the title track.
—Allaire Nuss, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climaxes
Noun
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Bank of China’s Pivotal Role and Future Innovations Zhu Jing of Bank of China (Hong Kong) detailed the milestones leading to the MOU.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Daniel, for his part, keeps his feet on the ground amid aspirations for bigger milestones.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Full moons are culminations — don’t forget to pause and see what’s already come full circle before rushing into more.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The spot culminates with the eagle taking flight as the Clydesdale charges forward in a moment meant to symbolize American heritage.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Jan. 2026
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In cross-country skiing, endurance specialists aim for glory in events such as the women’s 10 km classic and men’s 15 km freestyle, both of which deliver thrilling head-to-head action that culminates in medal ceremonies at the finish line against the snowy backdrop of Valtellina.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The rainfall melted a significant amount of snow in mountain watersheds, which contributed to the flooding in Washington state.—
Alejandro N. Flores,
The Conversation,
8 Jan. 2026
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The team installed beaver-style dams across the Cache la Poudre and Willow Creek watersheds — both burned in the 2020 wildfires — to help slow water flow and instead spread the water over a floodplain.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Our destination was a cluster of coral pinnacles called Rib Reef, on the Great Barrier Reef’s outer edge.—
Susan Casey,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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And speaking of monologues, Carrie Coon’s surprising final sentiment has to be one of the finale’s pinnacles.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Arajai Burks, junior G Hill calls Burks a strong defender who finishes well at the rim and has good court vision and a reliable outside shot.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Premium finishes in 2026 are limited to Aero Gray, Snowflake White, Soul Red, and Machine Gray.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At any point, they can be requested to name the landmarks to their left or right.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
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Some food-safety inspections were temporarily suspended, trash piled up in national parks, federal landmarks and museums closed, and some airports shuttered checkpoints due to fewer Transportation Security Administration officers to screen passengers.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Daytime temperatures are also forecast to return to more seasonable heights pretty quickly, with a high of 55 degrees by Monday.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
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The electrified setup packs a 771-hp punch and could elevate the GT to even greater heights.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Climaxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climaxes. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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