anticlimactic

A1N1T1I1C3L1I1M3A1C3T1I1C3
British, Southern, Standard/ˌantɪjklɑjˈmaktɪk/

adjective

Lacking climax, disappointing or ironically insignificant following of impressive foreshadowing.

“After all the build up, the ending of the story was an anticlimactic letdown.”

Similar
anticlimactical
Opposite
climactic
OriginEnglish climactic ← Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-) ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti →
UncommonScrabble 21
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Meanings

adjectiveanticlimactic (comparative more anticlimactic, superlative most anticlimactic)

comparative more anticlimactic · superlative most anticlimactic

  1. Lacking climax, disappointing or ironically insignificant following of impressive foreshadowing.

    After all the build up, the ending of the story was an anticlimactic letdown.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveof or relating to a sudden change from an impressive to a ludicrous style

Similar
anticlimactical

adjectivecoming after the climax especially of a dramatic or narrative plot

Opposite
climactic
Also see
bathetic

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ent-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énts
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énti
  4. Ancient Greekᾰ̓ντῐ́ (ăntĭ́)
  5. Ancient Greekἀντι- (anti-)
  6. Englishanti-
  7. Englishclimax
  8. Englishclimactic
  9. Englishanticlimactic

From anti- + climactic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 虎頭蛇尾的 /虎头蛇尾的
  • 虎頭蛇尾的 /虎头蛇尾的 (hǔtóushéwěi de)lacking climax
Dutch anticlimactisch
  • anticlimactischlacking climax
Finnish antiklimaattinen
  • antiklimaattinenlacking climax
French décevant, désenchanté
  • décevantlacking climax
  • désenchantélacking climax
Japanese 呆気ない
  • 呆気ない (akkenai)lacking climax
Portuguese anticlimático, decepcionante
  • anticlimáticolacking climax
  • decepcionantelacking climax
Russian разочаро́вывающий, не опра́вдывающий ожида́ний
  • разочаро́вывающий (razočaróvyvajuščij)lacking climax
  • не опра́вдывающий ожида́ний (ne oprávdyvajuščij ožidánij)lacking climax
Spanish anticlimático, decepcionante
  • anticlimáticolacking climax
  • decepcionantelacking climax
Cite this entry
APA

anticlimactic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anticlimactic

MLA

“anticlimactic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anticlimactic. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anticlimactic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anticlimactic.

Source: anticlimactic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.