as in apocalyptic
of, relating to, or being a major turning point
the French Revolution is usually regarded as one of the climactic events in modern European history
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Recent Examples of climactic
In the climactic scene of We Live in Time, Garfield’s Tobias literally cheers from the sidelines as his ailing yet resolute wife competes in a prestigious culinary competition.
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Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
In The Old Man’s climactic finale episode of the season, lives hung in the balance.
—Jp Mangalindan, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
The confrontation would become the climactic scene of the documentary.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 22 Oct. 2024
And multiple people can independently imagine the same scenario: For example, one prominent copyright-infringement lawsuit relied in part on the improbability of a climactic incident that appeared in two separate works.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for climactic 
Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
In The Old Man’s climactic finale episode of the season, lives hung in the balance.
—Jp Mangalindan, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
The confrontation would become the climactic scene of the documentary.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 22 Oct. 2024
And multiple people can independently imagine the same scenario: For example, one prominent copyright-infringement lawsuit relied in part on the improbability of a climactic incident that appeared in two separate works.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for climactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climactic
Adjective
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Trump’s campaign rhetoric painted the world in apocalyptic terms, portraying himself and his team as hard-nosed realists who understood the danger.Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024
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Dean Devlin, producer of Independence Day, Godzilla and The Patriot, is used to dealing with stories that are over-the-top and apocalyptic.Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The congressional district that includes sections of Adams, Larimer and Weld counties could play a pivotal role in the partisan battle over control of the House of Representatives, where Republicans seek to hold onto a narrow majority.John Aguilar, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
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This is a very important point for Lila, because the emancipation of women plays a pivotal role in Elena Ferrante’s books.Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Asian Americans in particular have emerged as a critical part of the electorate, now making up about a quarter of the district’s population as its largest minority group.Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
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Trump would go on to win the critical swing states of Michigan and Pennsylvania in his landslide victory.Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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For this reader, roughly the same age as Sam Raymond, there is uncommon pleasure in the paradoxes of this climacteric tale.Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021
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Macerating unripe climacteric fruit in sugar, however, isn’t a substitute for ripening them; that just takes time in your kitchen counter’s fruit basket.Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 8 May 2017
Adjective
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The value of assets tied to Donald Trump — and those likely to benefit under his administration — surged in the wake of his decisive electoral victory on Tuesday.Rob Wile, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
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If the polls are accurate, then just a relatively small handful of votes could play a decisive role in who emerges victorious.Joe Edwards, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Sleep Aid – Getting adequate rest is crucial for recovery.Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
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The coordination is crucial since the NRAO operates the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, which is home to the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope.Michael Kan, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near climactic
Cite this Entry
“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climactic. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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