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 climactic tension of the fourth quarter gave way to an easy overtime, with New York out-scoring Cleveland 14-3.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
-
In a climactic battle that fans have been waiting for since the show’s series premiere, Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander (Antony Starr) have a years-in-the-making, bloody face-off.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
That climaxes in a kaleidoscope of styles where Esteban, directing one scene, erupts in fury, reverting to a verbal and physical violence which Emilia obviously knew and suffered as child, Sorogoyen explains.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
But Le Corroller is definitely in charge here, orchestrating the squishy mayhem right up to the unusually bleak climax that fully delivers on the premise.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Coming off a milestone anniversary season, and after a summer shakeup to its cast, the show this year brought in a mix of reliable, returning hosts like Ariana Grande and Melissa McCarthy and first-timers like Sabrina Carpenter and Finn Wolfhard.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
-
In an effort to provide a vibrant community space, the city of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy broke ground at McKinley Park, marking a major milestone in the park's revitalization.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
There is a long tradition of environmental disasters serving as the catalyst for post-apocalyptic potboilers.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
The setting for these images had a post-apocalyptic bent to them in a Young Adult–novel way.—
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei,
ARTnews.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Ryan’s Daughter, a period piece starring Robert Mitchum and Sarah Miles, proved a watershed for Lean, in the worst possible way.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
-
Lisa Collins, a forensic scientist at Washington State Patrol, told CNN new software and strides in genetic genealogy are two relatively recent watersheds in DNA technology that have allowed for breakthroughs in cold cases like these.—
Nina Giraldo,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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In Canada, those minerals sit in the same rock formations where miners already dig for copper, nickel, and diamonds, or explore for critical green transition metals like lithium and cobalt.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
18 May 2026
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Global energy demand is projected to rise more than 50% by 2040, driven by economic growth in Asia and power-hungry AI infrastructure — and LNG, which is a cleaner fuel than coal or oil, is seen as a critical source to help meet that demand.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Ahead of the landmark relocation of its Sundance Film Festival to Boulder, Sundance Institute has appointed Bloomerang PR as its Colorado Agency of Record, announcing new programming set for this summer.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
-
While there are no landmark sights in this area, the neighboring cityscape and gardens add an energy that weary road warriors can appreciate.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
This article contains pivotal plot points and details of Nemesis, which debuted all eight episodes of its first season Thursday night on Netflix.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
In the episode, Morris plays Hazel, a sponsor to one of the pivotal characters.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Climacteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climacteric. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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