as in apocalyptic
of, relating to, or being a major turning point
the French Revolution is usually regarded as one of the climactic events in modern European history
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of climactic
The climactic battle, when Boravian tanks and troops smash through a fence into a huge crowd of Jahranpurians, does not look like the Gaza war — or at least the urban war of the past two years.
—
Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2025
Wolverine saves Rogue The big climactic battle is waged inside the Statue of Liberty, as the X-Men face off against the Brotherhood while Magneto straps Rogue into his radiation machine housed inside the torch (of course).
—ArsTechnica, 20 July 2025
As recently as 2010, numerous audience members fainted watching James Franco slice his arm off in the climactic act of self-preservation in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025
As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties and secrets.
—Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2025
Wolverine saves Rogue The big climactic battle is waged inside the Statue of Liberty, as the X-Men face off against the Brotherhood while Magneto straps Rogue into his radiation machine housed inside the torch (of course).
—ArsTechnica, 20 July 2025
As recently as 2010, numerous audience members fainted watching James Franco slice his arm off in the climactic act of self-preservation in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025
As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties and secrets.
—Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for climactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climactic
Adjective
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Today, apocalyptic narratives, from Hulu’s Paradise to Leave the World Behind on Netflix and James Cameron’s upcoming adaptation of the atomic bomb exposé Ghosts of Hiroshima, are increasingly shaping real-world demand.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
29 July 2025
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The passage of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bil Act invited howls of despair from progressives and conservatives alike, with apocalyptic doomsaying over the bill’s many impacts.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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This is where external coaches can play a pivotal role.—
Michel Koopman,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
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Longtime viewers would be hard-pressed to name a character more pivotal than Maggie and a star more watchable than Rogers.—
Ryan Coleman Published,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Austin city leaders are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reinstate $50 million in funding for flood protection upgrades to critical city utility infrastructure — money that was pulled earlier this year.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
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The blocking feature is a critical one, says Stephen Balkam, founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, a nonprofit organization aiming to make the online world safer for kids and their families.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Keeping high-ethylene producers away from climacteric fruits can keep them from ripening too quickly.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
15 July 2025
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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
Adjective
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Curiously, the two players who were decisive in last night’s tie, Coll and Bonmati, were the two major issues for Spain in the run-up to and during these Euros.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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The decisive feature that demonstrates the fossil was likely an early arachnid is the unique organization of the brain -- a reverse of the front-to-back arrangement found in present-day crustaceans, insects, centipedes and horseshoe crabs, the researchers said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Attorneys make a crucial difference for a child or a teen.—
Nicol León,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
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Therefore, long-term planning can play a crucial role in unlocking the financial flexibility that helps to allow retirees to sleep well at night, free from the fear of depleting their nest egg.—
Wes Moss,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Climactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climactic. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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