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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Angèle, the makeup artist, has been writing a real-life account of her observations at work, and her writings apostrophize the action, most extensively during a climactic scene in which the staging of the runway show falls prey to bad weather.
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The ending of van Dongen’s journey was decidedly anti-climactic.
Noun
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The short version is that after defeating the Kilrathi at the climax of Wing Commander 3, Mark Hamill’s Christopher Blair retires to a backwater world to live out a life in peace and obscurity.
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Each concert climaxes with Pinkerton’s sword fight against the Rat Reaperess, leading to the singer’s inevitable defeat.
Adjective
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Fragments of email correspondence appear alongside bits of dialogue, histories of apocalyptic movements in Korea, and poems about the nature of time and the Bardo (the Tibetan Buddhist concept for the transitional period between death and rebirth).
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For many Parisians who are not physiologically vulnerable, the past week hasn’t been nearly as apocalyptic as media accounts have suggested.
Noun
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Stay safe amid dangerous heat All are invited to celebrate America's milestone on the National Mall.
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Chapman allowed back-to-back singles after his milestone strikeout, but got Jo Adell to ground into a double play to secure his 17th save.
Adjective
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The unorthodox midterm convention comes as Democrats continue to poll stronger than Republicans ahead of November's critical elections.
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Kennard could have provided a critical floor-spacing piece around Doncic, who thrives when surrounded by lob-catching centers, athletic wings and knockdown shooters.
Noun
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The company is also on track to meet its 2030 goal of returning more water to local watersheds than its data centers consume.
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The science that happens outside the wet lab, in the field, the watershed and the population, is the next frontier for a tool like this.
Adjective
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Women controlled children and property and played pivotal roles in tribe politics.
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Although her date with Daniel didn’t end well in the season 2 finale, Helen will play a pivotal role in the series.
Noun
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Molde’s appeal is not based on a single landmark, but on its position between fjord, coast, islands, and mountains.
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The Supreme Court has released a slew of opinions to mark the end of its current term, and one of them could prove to be a landmark case for personal protections.
Cite this Entry
“Climacteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climacteric. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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