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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to peak
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crescendo
Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
With the greatest opening day crowd in the history of Atlanta and the Southern league cheering in a mad, thunderous crescendo, the Atlanta Crackers reached something approaching an apogee of playing perfection yesterday to turn back the Knoxville Smokies, 9 to 0.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Cronin’s threshold for disgusting developments will challenge audiences who are easily shocked, but his skill at whipping up a crescendo of horrors helps distract from a plot with too little connective thread between the big showstoppers.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
As Dog Day Afternoon reaches its crescendo, the audience feels more and more of an outside presence — where the crowds and police officers loudly congregate — while the action is contained inside the bank.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Noun
What follows is a crescendo of bloody madness, including a gruesome toenail cutting scene that shouldn’t be viewed while eating, a grandma being eaten alive by a pack of coyotes and a truly bonkers wake that erupts into laugh-out-loud violence thanks to a pair of dentures.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
With the greatest opening day crowd in the history of Atlanta and the Southern league cheering in a mad, thunderous crescendo, the Atlanta Crackers reached something approaching an apogee of playing perfection yesterday to turn back the Knoxville Smokies, 9 to 0.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Cronin’s threshold for disgusting developments will challenge audiences who are easily shocked, but his skill at whipping up a crescendo of horrors helps distract from a plot with too little connective thread between the big showstoppers.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
As Dog Day Afternoon reaches its crescendo, the audience feels more and more of an outside presence — where the crowds and police officers loudly congregate — while the action is contained inside the bank.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crescendo
Noun
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He was particularly intrigued by schizophrenia—the pinnacle of madness and the most complex puzzle of all.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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Still, the pinnacles of the heartland-rock canon continue to thrill us in unexpected ways.—
Jack Hamilton,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As Cassie performed her first dance with now-husband Nate Jacobs, played by Jacob Elordi, her pasties continued to peak out of the top of her low-cut gown.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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Research shows that 10–15 minutes after a meal, starting about 15 minutes after, can lower peak glucose by about 10–30 mg/dL, with one 2023 study showing a 27 mg/dL difference.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The sub-2 marathon marked the zenith of a multiyear turnaround effort at Adidas, which in 2022 terminated a lucrative partnership with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West in the wake of his antisemitic remarks.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Which is why Michael’s final cut screeches to a halt in 1988, just as the star has broken out from his family and reached a new zenith as a solo performer.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The feat was the culmination of a shift—or, perhaps more aptly, a total disruption—in marathoning over the past few years, in which the eventual breaking of the mythical two-hour mark went from an impossibility to a guarantee.—
Alex Hutchinson,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
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The appointment, which requires Senate confirmation, appears to mark the culmination of a chaotic appointment process for a vacancy on the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, which controls Kansas City’s police department.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Stars’ biggest strength is their depth, and removing the linchpin from the top of the lineup affected every line.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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Plus, the more restrained growth of today still comes on top of a much larger business, the Zenith CEO pointed out.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The documentary chronicled the height of outlaw country, which saw Coe in good company — Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, and the Charlie Daniels Band are also featured.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Cut up to half the sedge's height in early spring to thin it out.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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Unlike Tina Turner’s enthralling, apex music biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), watching Michael is like witnessing a daredevil walk a tightrope while wearing a harness over a mammoth, inflatable bounce house.—
Keith Murphy,
VIBE.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Inside a ritzy event venue overlooking the Kansas City skyline, Royals majority owner John Sherman on Wednesday unveiled plans for a new stadium in Crown Center, a celebratory announcement that marked the apex of the team’s yearslong, chaotic hunt for a new home.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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