as in pinnacle
the highest part or point
excitement in the auditorium slowly built up and reached its crescendo when the star walked on stage
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as in to peak
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Recent Examples of crescendo
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 18 May 2025
His style is somewhere between rap and traditional poetry, often starting slow and building to a crescendo with rat-a-tat references to social issues that deliver rhymes in unexpected cadences.
—Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2025
The Florida Panthers’ run of consistent success over the past handful of years, which reached a crescendo last year with the franchise winning its first Stanley Cup, plays a heavy part in that.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 May 2025
Residents rave about the town’s game-day atmosphere, which reached a crescendo two seasons ago when Michigan won the national title.
—Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Noun
Our obsession with ranking greatness // NCAAs crescendo with exciting Final Fours, but college basketball is broken.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 18 May 2025
His style is somewhere between rap and traditional poetry, often starting slow and building to a crescendo with rat-a-tat references to social issues that deliver rhymes in unexpected cadences.
—Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2025
The Florida Panthers’ run of consistent success over the past handful of years, which reached a crescendo last year with the franchise winning its first Stanley Cup, plays a heavy part in that.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 May 2025
Residents rave about the town’s game-day atmosphere, which reached a crescendo two seasons ago when Michigan won the national title.
—Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crescendo
Noun
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Surf Ranch in Fresno, created by 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, became a pinnacle of wave technology, but has a hefty price tag in the tens of thousands to access.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
30 May 2025
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Love probably needs to play like a $220 million quarterback for the Packers to reach the sport’s pinnacle.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Powerful geomagnetic storm could spark northern lights as far south as Illinois and Oregon tonight The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center predicts that the Kp index will peak at 4.67 over the weekend.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
30 May 2025
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Health officials said a factor in Taiwan’s surge was the lack of a major COVID wave over the winter, and forecast that the island’s current spike may not peak for another four to six weeks.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Valerie Mahaffey, who reached a career zenith in 1992 with an Emmy win for Best Supporting actress in a Drama Series for Northern Exposure, died on May 30 after losing her battle with cancer.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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My disappointment at just missing the zenith of this color riot is quickly replaced by a strongly sweet aroma that floods my nose while passing through Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort’s imposing entrance.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Chicken The national average crested above $2 per pound for fresh, whole chicken for the first time last year and hit a record high of $2.08 in November.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2025
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Hughes logged huge minutes throughout the contest, cresting 25 total minutes played before overtime even began.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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That was the culmination of three consecutive nights of strikes.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
26 May 2025
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This new office was the culmination of a 10-year plan that saw the investment giant move offices across Hong Kong, London and within the United States.—
Aman Kidwai,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Nate Lewis had four hits and three RBIs, including the tiebreaker in the top of the ninth. Crespi 4, Mater Dei 3: Mikey Martinez hit a three-run home run and Jackson Eisenhauer threw two hits of shutout relief with four strikeouts.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
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Still, another factor should always rise to the top of the list: relationships.—
Shirin Ali,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Choosing perennials with long bloom times, along with different heights and colors, adds charm and depth to the garden.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
1 June 2025
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Budget $300 to $500 for these pots, preferably in two or three different heights.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2025
Noun
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With its vintage vibes and slow-burn suspense, the film, directed by Matt Palmer, captivates audiences with its brutal, twisty climax and echoes horror classics like Scream and Heathers.—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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Bird’s action scenes are their own symphonies, each with a distinct melody and a breathless climax.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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