crescendo 1 of 2

noun

krə-ˈshen-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce crescendo (audio)
Definition of crescendonext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crescendo

2 of 2

verb

as in to peak

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 crescendo
Noun
As the strings quiver like a James Bond crescendo, the song gets stereophonic, like we’re being blasted deeper into the cushions of a conversation pit. — Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 29 July 2026 As the days wore on, the crowds swelled, reaching a crescendo on July 20, after the Modi government forcibly removed Wanghuck from the protest site on the 21st day of his hunger strike. — Yamini Aiyar, Time, 29 July 2026 Finally, the music reached a crescendo as the crane started to pull something from the water. — Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 When maximum occurs in a dark sky, as will be the case this year, this rich stream offers a crescendo in hourly rates averaging more than 50 members per hour, though double this rate has been seen on occasion. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crescendo
  1. pinnacle
  2. peak
  3. zenith
  4. culmination
  5. top
  6. height
  7. climax
  8. apex
Noun
  • Researchers told me that many Democrats believe that the pinnacle of achievement is having a good education and a fruitful career.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • What progress was made in some technological areas—navigation, shipbuilding—was seen as the pinnacle of achievement.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of pinnacle
Verb
  • Following a pleasant morning, afternoon temperatures will peak closer to 80 degrees, with a mix of sun, clouds and drier-feeling air.
    — Steven Sosna, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Plus, like Órganos and Máncora, Chicama tends to peak between April and October—right when the humpbacks whales arrive.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of peak
Noun
  • Around the time the body was disposed of, Lake Mead was nearing its zenith.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Despite Villa reaching their zenith under Emery in May, there was a growing argument to undergo a stable transitional phase, providing youthful impetus and appearing proactive, rather than reactive, in lowering the age of the squad.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of zenith
Noun
  • Disruption is not a starting point but the culmination of a journey, built on creating commercial evidence and learning.
    — Dileep Rao, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • After Savaiinaea struggled as a rookie at left guard, his play in the first two series in his Dolphins right guard debut, albeit in an exhibition against the Washington Commanders, seemed to be the culmination of an offseason of dedicated work.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of culmination
Noun
  • Westman Atelier has achieved a lot on its own, rising to the top of the ranks in complexion and lip.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • He was only getting started, but people could already see the natural ability that the youngster believed would one day take him to the top.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of top
Noun
  • Towering waves generated by intense Pacific storm systems, their heights amplified by El Niño, could erode parts of the fragile coastline and shut down crucial coastal transportation arteries.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But what truly took the event to new heights was the way the ladies from the other franchises reacted to being on Kyle’s turf.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of height
Noun
  • At the song’s climax came an explosion, multiple showers of sparks and a quick series of fireworks that torpedoed down from the rafters.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Building to a poignant climax, writer-director Noah Segan’s elegant love letter to both New York and to bygone cinematic eras recalls both the 1970s, with its grungy urban antiheroes, and the 1990s, in its American indie ethos.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of climax
Noun
  • Tottenham were outfought and outplayed by a Brentford side who, after an outstanding season last year, may have hit a new apex.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond the bravado of going as fast as possible, Macleod teaches precision, beginning with how brake pressure shifts a car’s weight and sets up a corner long before the apex.
    — Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of apex

Browse Nearby Words

crepuscules
crescendo
crescendoed
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Cite this Entry

“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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