crescendo 1 of 2

noun

krə-ˈshen-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce crescendo (audio)
Definition of crescendonext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crescendo

2 of 2

verb

as in to peak

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crescendo
Noun
Taking a cue from nickelodeon piano players, composer John Powell steers the mood with a vibrantly eclectic score of sprightly ragtime, violin pathos and popcorn crescendos. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 My playing partners noticed the same thing; the entire round felt like a continuous visual crescendo. — Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 The thought hardly goes through my mind when my reel pipes a high crescendo. — Ralph Tuttle, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026 Calls for reparations have increased in recent years, reaching a crescendo with the UN designation in March — though the US, UK and a host of other countries either rejected the claim or abstained from voting on it. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crescendo
  1. pinnacle
  2. peak
  3. zenith
  4. culmination
  5. top
  6. height
  7. climax
  8. apex
Noun
  • Reid’s constancy is one of the gifts that has led him to the pinnacle of the NFL as the fourth-winningest coach in league history.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • The Big Ten, the pinnacle of competition, sounded like a distant dream.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of pinnacle
Verb
  • The duration of totality will peak at 6 minutes and 23 seconds near Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, the pharaohs’ capital, in Egypt.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • People in California are using more natural gas this month, which is common as summer temperatures peak.
    — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of peak
Noun
  • Civilizations could have risen to their zenith and crumbled in the time our micrometeoroid spent traversing the unfeeling expanse of interplanetary space, but its demise lasted but a fraction of a second.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 July 2026
  • There was a time when the odd chart slot and a feature on the soundtrack of the latest FIFA game would mark the mainstream zenith of a breakthrough junglist.
    — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Definition of zenith
Noun
  • The Ducks and Lanning have been an absolute Death Star on the recruiting trail, and this season could be the culmination in all that hard work on the talent acquisition front.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
  • The surprise Bon Jovi appearance at Madison Square Garden was the culmination of a very busy weekend for Springsteen.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 July 2026
Definition of culmination
Noun
  • That jumps from his previous $45 million average and pushes him to the top of the quarterback market.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • Getting those numbers near the top of the list is a point of emphasis for this year's team.
    — Alex Wilcox, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of top
Noun
  • The aluminum body is strong enough to withstand drops from average heights.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 27 July 2026
  • At its height, the town even boasted a hospital, ballroom, ice factory, and the southern hemisphere’s first x-ray machine.
    — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026
Definition of height
Noun
  • Moving the climax from the open waters of the Cape Fear River to the family's backyard pool marks a decisive break from previous film adaptations.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Perversely for a film with a two-hour-and-25-minute running time, the climax still feels rushed.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of climax
Noun
  • The Mediterranean sun, at its apex, burns as white as the signature paint that coats most Mykonian homes.
    — Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Kronosaurus could clamp down on its prey with a bite estimated at 3,370—6,070 pounds of force, meaning even a large animal like an ichthyosaur rarely stood a chance against the apex predator.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 July 2026
Definition of apex

Browse Nearby Words

crepuscules
crescendo
crescendoed
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Cite this Entry

“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crescendo

Nglish: Translation of crescendo for Spanish Speakers

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