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
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 July 2025
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
Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 31 May 2022
Adjective
Keeping high-ethylene producers away from climacteric fruits can keep them from ripening too quickly.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 July 2025
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
-
The problem with this climactic Episode 3 scene wasn’t necessarily the action itself.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Even the song’s big moment—the climactic return—is muted and tentative here, as what should be the triumphant riff stalls out before its final note.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But she was met in the airlock by Tim Robbins' Bernard in a fiery cliffhanger climax that left us all totally breathless.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The single most important thing for England’s campaign is that Kane stays fit, especially through the climax of the Champions League.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This jersey is also connected to another milestone.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Sarah Nuwayhid in Beirut is in her first year of university, an important milestone in any young person’s life, but the war between Israel and Hezbollah upended her plans.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Another shuts a door on an old-timer in the middle of his menacing monologue about an apocalyptic storm.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Woodley recounted her experience being recruited into Dan Fogelman’s enigmatic post-apocalyptic series.—
Scott Huver,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Water levels at New Munster, farther north along the Fox River, often serve as a predictor for McHenry County as both communities share the same watershed.—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The administration said the ban would protect the watershed and canoe wilderness.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Dozens of nations push for reopening of strait Dozens of nations repeated calls to open the critical waterway in a joint statement led by Bahrain.—
Samy Magdy,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Those increases are being driven in part by global supply concerns, including ongoing tensions involving Iran and uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for oil shipments.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The company — which last week unveiled a landmark car battery with a 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) range that takes just six minutes to charge — has been boosted by the conflict in the Middle East; its stock price has jumped almost 25% since late February.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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An epic K-pop pilgrimage tour is the easiest way to tick off the must-see locations in one go, including landmarks like the iconic KBS broadcasting station that has played a major role in launching the careers of countless K-pop stars.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The guard’s late-game work on the offensive glass and defensive contributions were pivotal for Boston.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The April 7 announcement by Anthropic — that its new Mythos model was far more powerful and thus far more dangerous than any previous AI tool — increasingly appears to be a pivotal moment in human history.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Climacteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climacteric. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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