as in finishing
to bring to a triumphant conclusion
culminated the school year with a trip to New York
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in crowning
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of culminating
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 5 Oct. 2025
Especially in its final few minutes, culminating in a needle drop that is positively normie.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
Regional qualifiers will begin in March across the country, culminating with the championship taking place from June 30 to July 5 at Cooperstown All Star Village.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Randy Edsall, UConn From 1999 to 2010, Edsall led UConn through its transition from FCS (then I-AA) to the Big East, culminating in a conference title and trip to the Fiesta Bowl, where the 8-4 Huskies lost 48-20 to Oklahoma.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Married The first season of Love Is Blind debuted in 2020, culminating in two of the franchise's biggest success stories.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
From viral hits to iconic music legends, the remaining couples will dance through a variety of creative challenges, culminating in the finale.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
The three-day event amped up its tech appeal through a series of projects and discussions, culminating in events like AI Materiality and other talks providing an in-depth, 360-degree exploration of the impact of artificial intelligence tools on the fashion industry.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025
There’s an instinctual stitching that binds its many scenes together that build to a heartwrenching ending, culminating in neither a whimper nor a bang but a welcome sigh of relief.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Think of it as six months of shadow work, self assertion, and courage, now culminating in a fiery climax.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 5 Oct. 2025
Especially in its final few minutes, culminating in a needle drop that is positively normie.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
Regional qualifiers will begin in March across the country, culminating with the championship taking place from June 30 to July 5 at Cooperstown All Star Village.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Randy Edsall, UConn From 1999 to 2010, Edsall led UConn through its transition from FCS (then I-AA) to the Big East, culminating in a conference title and trip to the Fiesta Bowl, where the 8-4 Huskies lost 48-20 to Oklahoma.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Married The first season of Love Is Blind debuted in 2020, culminating in two of the franchise's biggest success stories.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
From viral hits to iconic music legends, the remaining couples will dance through a variety of creative challenges, culminating in the finale.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
The three-day event amped up its tech appeal through a series of projects and discussions, culminating in events like AI Materiality and other talks providing an in-depth, 360-degree exploration of the impact of artificial intelligence tools on the fashion industry.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025
There’s an instinctual stitching that binds its many scenes together that build to a heartwrenching ending, culminating in neither a whimper nor a bang but a welcome sigh of relief.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culminating
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
-
His specific traits, such as leadership and tackling, are difficult to measure but fit exactly what the Rams needed this offseason as a finishing piece to their front seven.—
Nate Atkins,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Critics hailed Born to Run as a crowning achievement, something both sui generis and revitalizing.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The show is the crowning moment in a process that unfolded for more than two decades, spearheaded most recently by Michigan Athletics chief operating officer Rob Rademacher — and ultimately green-lit after one crucial logistical trial.—
Brian McCollum,
Freep.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
UConn’s Joe Fagnano, a seventh-year collegiate quarterback, carved up FIU’s secondary, completing 22 of 28 passes for 355 yards, four TDs and no interceptions.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The Philadelphia Union’s 1-0 win over New York City on Saturday secured the club the MLS Supporters’ Shield title for the second time in the franchise’s history, completing an impressive turnaround under coach Bradley Carnell.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Another tells of what happened to Shihirlis, the lovelorn thief played by Kilmer in the 1995 movie, in the aftermath of the first movie’s climactic robbery, and his multiyear quest to reunite with his former girlfriend (who was played by Judd in the original).—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Even diligent Webberheads will need to overlook certain gaffes, like a hero who seems to have tied himself up in a climactic moment and a Stygian lair well marked with glowing Exit signs.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
His Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour launches December 5 in Costa Rica and travels through Mexico, Spain, and England before concluding in Italy on July 17-18.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
-
And in 1987, under President Ronald Reagan, the FCC itself repealed the Fairness Doctrine, concluding that the rule was both unnecessary and a threat to free speech.—
John Eger,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Chaining together standard and heavy blows with acrobatic spins, slips, and dives is fluid and intuitive — leaving combat feeling like an ever-climaxing dance of death that often ends with insta-kill execution moves.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In this scene, the Italian leaves Knox’s lips far easier than those fateful days in the police station, and in the midst of a tense life, the show turns wistfully romantic one last time.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Reeling from its aftermath, his mother, Hanan, shares the story that led them to that fateful moment.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Back treatments address muscle tension while clearing meridian blockages.—
Pooja Shah,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Culminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culminating. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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