as in climactic
of, relating to, or being a major turning point
as the war reached its climacteric phase, the atrocities dramatically increased, both in number and brutality
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in climax
a point in a chain of events at which an important change (as in one's fortunes) occurs
historians attempting to pinpoint the Roman Empire's climacteric, that precise moment when it began its long downhill slide
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of climacteric
Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021
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
Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 31 May 2022
Adjective
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
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
Noun
These are called climacteric, and will respond to the presence of ethylene by producing more ethylene.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 31 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climacteric
Adjective
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Our goal this episode was ending certain stories in climactic ways, yet building a platform for the show to leap off.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
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Just a short walk from the soundstage where the cast was filming that climactic scene is a workshop containing some of Reed's inventions.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Fans believed from Episode One that at least one character would die in a shooting, and, as in Seasons One and Two, each episode slowly (this time, much more slowly) built to the anticipated climax, leaving breadcrumbs both real and sometimes intentionally misleading.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2025
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In Sunday’s stressful Season 3 finale, all the storylines came to a tragic climax, with Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood), Rick (Walton Goggins) and Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn), who was revealed to be Rick’s real father, all dying in a shootout at the resort.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Murray noted that 2004 was a milestone for Black homeownership, hitting a highmark of 49%, but it’s decreased considerably since then.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
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Chantel says that when Savannah isn't showering Ivy with gifts, her adoptive parents keep her biological mom updated on major milestones.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Lower Basin states presented a proposal that incorporated reductions for themselves but also called for cuts across the entire watershed — calculating storage capacity not just on the massive Lake Powell and Lake Mead, but also on five smaller reservoirs, including three in the Upper Basin.—
Sharon Udasin,
The Hill,
18 Feb. 2025
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But dams throughout the watershed had robbed the fish of valuable habitat, and invasive small-mouth bass preyed on the chub, putting it on the endangered species list.—
Luke Cyphers,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Power asserts itself mercilessly, and the action is shot through with apocalyptic premonitions, which reminds him of our time.—
Jeffrey Arlo Brown,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
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The apocalyptic tale pits our hero Ellie not against the zombies that served as the frequent antagonists in the first game, but other people bent on destroying her and her surrogate father Joel.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Trans groups are worried that Wednesday’s landmark decision will undermine their rights, even though Britain’s highest court said transgender people remain protected from discrimination.—
Kwiyeon Ha and Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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The open-air shopping area also represents a cultural landmark, with an impressive variety of galleries, theaters and restaurants serving up a taste of the city’s diverse flavors.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Having visibility across not only tier 1 but tier 2 and 3 suppliers to navigate risk, disruption, trade and more is critical.—
Sarah Jones,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Apr. 2025
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The win was also critical for the Lakers (49-31) who are the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and remain 1 1/2 games ahead of the rival Clippers in the loaded West.—
Adam Zagoria,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Related Stories As Dickens goes over each of Jesus’ miracles and other pivotal moments ahead of his gruesome death, young Walter walks into the biblical passages as an unseen figure watching from the sidelines and becoming enraptured by the tall tales.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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The Penn State athletic department also credits former Penn State club ice hockey coach Joe Battista, a former school administrator who played a pivotal in securing the original donation from the Pegulas and oversaw the early development of the men’s and women’s D-I programs.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Climacteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climacteric. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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