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
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
These two songs function as the record’s thematic and sonic climaxes, respectively.
—
Raphael Helfand,
Pitchfork,
29 May 2026
This year’s sequel climaxes with Grace hijacking her second wedding to a Satanic heir by killing him and banishing his oligarchical cabal to hell.
—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 May 2026
That climaxes in a kaleidoscope of styles where Esteban, directing one scene, erupts in fury, reverting to a verbal and physical violence which Emilia obviously knew and suffered as child, Sorogoyen explains.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Via one of popular music’s most stratospherically elevating climaxes, the song shifts into gospel overdrive with the explosive entrance of disco’s mightiest, most visceral vocalist, Loleatta Holloway.
—
Ct Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Anderson is here for the melodrama, the special lessons and the climaxes that fall flat.
—
Jessica Lipsky,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
Chases and weird extraterrestrial stuff abounds, leading to one of Spielberg's most gripping climaxes ever.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
These two songs function as the record’s thematic and sonic climaxes, respectively.
—
Raphael Helfand,
Pitchfork,
29 May 2026
This year’s sequel climaxes with Grace hijacking her second wedding to a Satanic heir by killing him and banishing his oligarchical cabal to hell.
—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 May 2026
That climaxes in a kaleidoscope of styles where Esteban, directing one scene, erupts in fury, reverting to a verbal and physical violence which Emilia obviously knew and suffered as child, Sorogoyen explains.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Via one of popular music’s most stratospherically elevating climaxes, the song shifts into gospel overdrive with the explosive entrance of disco’s mightiest, most visceral vocalist, Loleatta Holloway.
—
Ct Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Anderson is here for the melodrama, the special lessons and the climaxes that fall flat.
—
Jessica Lipsky,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
The film climaxes with a triumphant visit by the musicians, some in their 90s, to New York’s Carnegie Hall.
—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climaxes
Noun
-
Henry stood still and yelled at his 5-for and 10-for milestones before he was mobbed again by teammates.
-
Writer-director Curry Barker’s $750,000 film hit a couple of major milestones this week, first on Monday by becoming the highest-grossing festival acquisition of all time over 1999’s The Blair Witch Project.
Noun
-
Full moons are culminations — don’t forget to pause and see what’s already come full circle before rushing into more.
Verb
-
The film culminates in Roberta’s ultimate evolution — her decision to retire from the New York Times.
-
This year’s Kansas City Greek Picnic culminates Saturday with its signature picnic event after a week of activities that included community service projects, game nights, social gatherings and programming designed to connect both Greek and non-Greek residents.
Noun
-
The latest monthly map of wolf activity, released Wednesday, shows the wolf moved through watersheds surrounding the city of Pueblo.
-
For more precise information, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, a nonprofit that helps protect and restore the water quality of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers and their surrounding watersheds, samples the rivers and tributaries weekly each summer as part of its Swim Guide program.
Noun
-
Bocas is blessed with more than a dozen excellent dive sites including underwater caves and pinnacles, reef walls, drift dive locations, and wrecks like the Barco Viejo and Mystic Wind.
-
Though the top section of the Chimney Tops Trail (along with its rocky pinnacles) are closed due to fire damage, this is still one sight worth seeing.
Verb
-
Lo Cleso finishes after having an earlier goal waved off for offside.
-
Given that Spain won its final group game yesterday, the European champion will be awaiting whoever finishes second in Group J.
Noun
-
Just south of the eclectic town of Trinidad, our newest state park, Fishers Peak, houses one of southern Colorado’s most recognizable landmarks (its namesake peak).
-
Along the way, LePage fills the film with imaginative emotional landmarks from the Island of the Flakes to the Kind Heart Outlet and whimsical visual metaphors, including a wobbling mound of Jell-O that becomes an unlikely symbol of resilience.
Noun
-
Over the proceeding year and a half, snowballing AI hype has sent valuations in the space soaring to spectacular new heights.
-
This leadership change aims to propel T3 Micro to new heights, deepening its connection with its female audience.
Cite this Entry
“Climaxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climaxes. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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