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
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 31 Dec. 2025
The narrative reached a crescendo in October, when concerns over the US fiscal outlook collided with the longest government shutdown on record.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
After the best of the album’s crescendos, Ellis strips everything away again, pining for a character named Annie.
—Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 19 Dec. 2025
The panel's efforts come after the Epstein controversy, which has divided the GOP for months, reached a crescendo in Washington this past week.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Noun
Those complaints reached a crescendo in March, when the Senate minority leader helped Republicans avert a shutdown.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 31 Dec. 2025
The narrative reached a crescendo in October, when concerns over the US fiscal outlook collided with the longest government shutdown on record.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
After the best of the album’s crescendos, Ellis strips everything away again, pining for a character named Annie.
—Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 19 Dec. 2025
The panel's efforts come after the Epstein controversy, which has divided the GOP for months, reached a crescendo in Washington this past week.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crescendo
Noun
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And yet, for the past 20 years, Ruzsa’s result has represented the pinnacle of progress on Chowla’s cosine problem.—
Leila Sloman,
Quanta Magazine,
28 Jan. 2026
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The broadcast hit its pinnacle when the announcers moved aside and showed Honnold making his way up the building.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Temperatures will peak around 31 degrees Monday, allowing Sunday’s snow to remain on the ground, National Weather Service meteorologists predicted.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
25 Jan. 2026
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Every locality and season has peak hours or periods when the most people on your power grid are using electricity and water.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Directly above Sirius, about a third of the way from the horizon to the zenith (the point directly overhead) is Orion.—
Jesse Emspak,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2026
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The 49ers stored that emotion and exploded on the Eagles the following season, scoring touchdowns on six straight possession for a 42-19 win that may have been the zenith of Shanahan’s career as a regular-season coach.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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San Dieguito’s Director of Teaching Learning and Education Brieahna Weatherford said getting to this point has been incredibly challenging, the culmination of two years of work.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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The wife of Patriots owner Robert Kraft launched the Pawtriots on the first day of training camp last July, in partnership with local animal shelters across New England, a culmination of years in the making.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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On the runway, the ensemble—which consisted of a cream-colored ruffled halter top and silk ball skirt—was shown with fabric connecting the top and the skirt, but Jenner opted to bare her stomach in between, making the skirt ultra low-rise.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
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The cap-sleeve top feels polished enough for sightseeing, while the relaxed bottoms keep things comfortable.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These slip-on sneakers feature a sleek leather upper and subtle platform outsoles that add a bit of height while helping ease heel pain associated with plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
29 Jan. 2026
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Daytime temperatures are also forecast to return to more seasonable heights pretty quickly, with a high of 55 degrees by Monday.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Initially, neither party trusts the other, and the surprising but emotionally logical betrayal that prompts the film’s high-stakes climax carries a lovingly sincere intention.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
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Nominally in the spirit of ’90s from-hell thrillers, The Patient is a riveting character drama that offers some queasy white-knuckle suspense on the way to a thrilling climax.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This weakening of the teeth of the apex predators could affect the broader marine ecosystem, too.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
26 Jan. 2026
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Yamagami’s sister’s testimony was, as measured by the number of weeping observers, the emotional apex of the trial.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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