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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crescendo
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 10 Jan. 2025
Morris’ vocal performance — from heartfelt whisper to inspirational crescendo — would stand miles apart from everyone else.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
The vibe of the evening is a slow crescendo, our chatter building to the point where three or four of us are simultaneously talking into our phones and thrusting them in front of one another, all with a remarkable sense of good cheer.
—Joe Ray, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024
Unlike Larraín’s last two films about famous women in history (Jackie, Spencer), support from Jolie’s peers just wasn’t there in the end; what should have been a crescendo to awards greatness instead ended with a soft whimper as the Academy shut out Jolie’s top-tier work.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for crescendo 
Noun
In partnership with his actors, Leigh excavates and displays the most vulnerable emotions and experiences a person can have, his films slowly building to cathartic crescendos, with glimmers of hope and salvation shining through.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 10 Jan. 2025
Morris’ vocal performance — from heartfelt whisper to inspirational crescendo — would stand miles apart from everyone else.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
The vibe of the evening is a slow crescendo, our chatter building to the point where three or four of us are simultaneously talking into our phones and thrusting them in front of one another, all with a remarkable sense of good cheer.
—Joe Ray, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024
Unlike Larraín’s last two films about famous women in history (Jackie, Spencer), support from Jolie’s peers just wasn’t there in the end; what should have been a crescendo to awards greatness instead ended with a soft whimper as the Academy shut out Jolie’s top-tier work.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for crescendo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crescendo
Noun
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Despite a tumultuous 2024, when the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton CEO lost over $50 billion and dropped from the pinnacle of the world's wealthiest, Arnault's fortunes have soared in 2025, adding approximately $22.9 billion to his net worth so far this year, according to the index.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
24 Jan. 2025
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And for those chosen, the work at the White House for a year or two is often a huge opportunity to dive into the pinnacle of foreign policy management.—
Michael Crowley,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The duo’s popularity peaked in 2014, not long before the acrimonious split of the creative collaborators and romantic partners.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
1 Feb. 2025
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Rain will continue Saturday, Sunday and Monday, off and on, and is expected to peak Monday night into Tuesday, with dry conditions Wednesday and more on Thursday.—
Paul Rogers,
The Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This metric is an important signal of growing retail engagement, often marking the later stages of a bull market when public interest reaches its zenith.—
Leeor Shimron,
Forbes,
30 Dec. 2024
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John Ashton, the actor who reached a career zenith as detective John Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise, died at his Fort Collins, Colorado home on Friday after a battle with cancer.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes,
29 Sep. 2024
Verb
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However, even before the election of Trump, the DEI movement appeared to have crested.—
Eric Berger,
Ars Technica,
22 Jan. 2025
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As a force-of-nature newcomer vying for a big-screen break, Margot Robbie is all frantic energy, while Brad Pitt deploys his star wattage to great effect playing a famous leading man just cresting the peak of his career and starting on the way down.—
Kevin Lincoln,
Vulture,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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These closing arguments were the culmination of six years of litigation on the key question in the 9/11 case: Does torture matter in the pursuit of justice in the military commissions?—
Lisa Hajjar,
The Conversation,
24 Jan. 2025
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The album was a culmination of years of hard work, intentional growth, and the trust SZA had built with her core fanbase.—
Sughnen Yongo,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Fox’s monochromatic ensemble consisted of a button-front midi skirt, a cropped puffer jacket and a leather corset top.—
Hannah Malach,
WWD,
23 Jan. 2025
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Renato Moicano came up short in his attempt to unseat Islam Makhachev at the top of the UFC lightweight division at UFC 311, losing to the champ via first-round submission.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Deep Robotics In addition to launching itself over stuff in its path, the bot has a step height of 22 cm (8.6 in) and can lock its wheels to climb over anything higher (well, up to 80 cm/31.5 in anyway).—
Paul Ridden,
New Atlas,
1 Feb. 2025
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Crypto has been through these crazes before (especially in 2017 and 2021) and has always bounced back to new heights.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
1 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There was also the matter of replacing seemingly irreplaceable cast members, in particular Coolidge, whose departure served as the climax of Season 2.—
Charlie Campbell,
TIME,
24 Jan. 2025
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The climax is a horrendous German burning of a village, as striking for its visual imagery as for its agitated music.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near crescendo
Cite this Entry
“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
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