Synonym Chooser

How does the noun culmination differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of culmination are acme, apex, climax, peak, pinnacle, and summit. While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When would acme be a good substitute for culmination?

The synonyms acme and culmination are sometimes interchangeable, but acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

Where would apex be a reasonable alternative to culmination?

The meanings of apex and culmination largely overlap; however, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When is it sensible to use climax instead of culmination?

The words climax and culmination are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When could peak be used to replace culmination?

The words peak and culmination can be used in similar contexts, but peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

When might pinnacle be a better fit than culmination?

Although the words pinnacle and culmination have much in common, pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

When can summit be used instead of culmination?

While in some cases nearly identical to culmination, summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

Examples 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 culmination The event is the culmination of season-long competition where marching band halftime shows are adjudicated by a panel of marching band experts. Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 6 Dec. 2024 The trial is the culmination of a civil case that was filed in July 2020 by the women after a federal lawsuit was dismissed earlier that year. Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024 The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, is the culmination of a years-long saga between TikTok and the U.S. government, which views the app's data collection practices as a potential national security threat. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024 Crafting moments that nourish and connect guests to faraway places is an art and The Greatest Safari on Earth experience is the culmination of a lifetime of experiences. Deborah Calmeyer, Travel + Leisure, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for culmination 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culmination
Noun
  • Vintage Port Recommendations Vintage Port is the pinnacle of Port production and the flagship product of the Douro.
    Paul Caputo, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
  • The Stark Varg, which offers performance comparable to 450cc gas dirt bikes, is perhaps at the pinnacle of this industry.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Accommodation in the valley reaches its zenith at Bruma Wine Resort, a masterpiece of sustainable architecture where modernist design meets natural beauty.
    Shelby Knick, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
  • To that point, the job of an editor has evolved considerably since Graydon Carter, Anna Wintour and Tina Brown created the paradigm in the turn-of-the-century zenith of magazines.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Offline, luxury fashion went through a round of musical chairs at the top, the scale of which has not been seen in decades and whose effects will be felt most sharply in 2025.
    Rosana Lai, Glamour, 30 Dec. 2024
  • This Michigan location is tops in the nation for enjoying the snow.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The two cooks' successes and failures are great fun to watch, particularly the series of scenes in which Child, having just enrolled in a cooking program, practices cutting hundreds of onions, the slices forming a pile that matches her own impressive height.
    Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024
  • By 2100, the study warns, storms in the Pacific Northwest could temporarily raise ocean heights up to three times more than current levels, dramatically increasing flood risks.
    Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Meanwhile, those in rural areas of northern Spain will have an excellent chance of seeing the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower, which produces about 100 shooting stars.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
  • August 2024 was the peak of the Presidential election between candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
    Visual Editors, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Kim stages any number of thrilling action sequences, with large-scale troop and armored vehicle movements that bring the drama to an exciting and stirring climax.
    Richard Kuipers, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024
  • The word for the fifth-act climax of risotto—the scene in which the butter (preferably cold, from the fridge) and the Parmesan are brought onstage and obliged to mingle with the other characters—is mantecatura.
    Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Eighteen years in, the very conceit of Eras — going album by album to draw a towering portrait of Swift’s catalogue in 44 songs — challenged those cultural ideas while fortifying her place at pop’s apex.
    Jenn Pelly, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2024
  • At her career apex, Pitt probably now knows of Nikki Glaser.
    Anna Peele, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near culmination

Cite this Entry

“Culmination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culmination. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on culmination

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