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
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Sal's 15 minutes of fame, then, is a waking nightmare for Rogen's character — especially since Kravitz also thanks him during her climactic speech instead of Matt.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Voice cast regulars Natsuki Hanae (Tanjiro), Akari Kitō (Nezuko), Hiro Shimono (Zenitsu) and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Inosuke) return as the Demon Slayer Corps embarks on a climactic assault against the demon king Muzan Kibutsuji.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Long Walk comes down to the two of them, and their final stretch is met by a crowd of fans and cameras broadcasting the climax all over the country.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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And as Brown’s book races toward its elaborate climax, his (and Langdon’s) breathless effusions about the neuro-technological progress that awaits us sound jarringly out of sync with the anxious, doomy present.—
Book Marks
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The moment marked a personal milestone for Baldwin, who said goodbye to dancing 16 years ago after breaking her hip due to overuse.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
James Tour, professor of chemistry and materials science at Rice, called the achievement an industrial milestone.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The watershed is nourished by the salmon run.—
Andrew Watman,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Proactive fuel mitigation measures near watersheds are a vital step toward protecting water quality as California wildfires grow in intensity and frequency, experts warn.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This quiz invites you to explore the darker corners of sci-fi literature, where monsters lurk not just in shadows, but in laboratories, alien worlds and post-apocalyptic wastelands.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Perhaps these vague apocalyptic visions only cause confusion and distraction.—
Gregory Barber,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The compilation is Strait’s first set to make it to that impressive landmark figure.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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They were pulled from the Red Barn, a local landmark dating to the early 1900s in this small community southwest of the Keweenaw Peninsula.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Xi Jinping has remarked that relying on foreign supply of critical technologies—like semiconductors—is tantamount to building one's house on someone else's foundation.—
Joel Thayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Bynum made a diving catch that extinguished a critical drive for the Broncos.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The atmosphere was electric—a convergence of style, creativity, and community that underscored the growing influence of Black creators during one of fashion’s most pivotal weeks.—
Corein Carter,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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The initiative marks a pivotal step in advancing sustainable urban transformation and circular construction practices.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Climacteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climacteric. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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