climactic

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/ˌklaɪˈmæk.tɪk/British, Southern, Standard/ˌklɑjˈmaktɪk/

adjective

Of, pertaining to, or constituting a climax; reaching a decisive moment or point of greatest excitement.

“The race ended in a climactic, neck-and-neck scramble for the finish line.”

UncommonScrabble 17

Meanings

adjectiveclimactic (comparative more climactic, superlative most climactic)

comparative more climactic · superlative most climactic

  1. Of, pertaining to, or constituting a climax; reaching a decisive moment or point of greatest excitement.

    The race ended in a climactic, neck-and-neck scramble for the finish line.

    3 more examples

    ... and the ending (within the last 50-ish pages) is simply incredible; very climactic.

    2011 December 13, Antony Jones, “Book review of 'Elantris' by Brandon Sanderson”, in SF Book

    And in Paris, Wick has a meeting with the Marquis, the Eiffel Tower providing a picturesque backdrop. A big, climactic scene is set on the steps and in the shadow of Sacré-Coeur.

    2023 March 14, Caryn James, “John Wick: Chapter 4: 'Soars above most action films'”, in BBC

    Then we went to General Hospital, which is a very climactic sound. And we ended it with the best, Days of our Lives.

    2024 May 31, Janet di Lauro, “DAYS’s Elia Cantu Reveals The Backstory of Her Musical Performance”, in Soap Opera Digest

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveconsisting of or causing a climax

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Translations

Dutch climactisch
  • climactischTranslations
German klimaktisch
  • klimaktischTranslations
Polish klimaksowy
  • klimaksowyTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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