crescendo

1 of 2

noun

cre·​scen·​do krə-ˈshen-(ˌ)dō 

plural crescendos also crescendoes or crescendi krə-ˈshen-dē 

1

a

: a gradual increase

a crescendo of excitement

specifically : a gradual increase in volume of a musical passage

b

: the peak of a gradual increase : climax

… complaints about stifling smog conditions reach a crescendo …

—Down Beat

2

: a crescendo musical passage

crescendo intransitive verb

Illustration of crescendo

• mark indicating crescendo 2

crescendo

2 of 2

adverb or adjective

: with an increase in volume

—used as a direction in music

Synonyms

Noun

• acme
• apex
• apogee
• capstone
• climax
• crest
• crown
• culmination
• head
• height
• high noon
• high-water mark
• meridian
• ne plus ultra
• noon
• noontime
• peak
• pinnacle
• sum
• summit
• tip-top
• top
• zenith

Examples of crescendo in a Sentence

Noun

The noise rose to a crescendo.

excitement in the auditorium slowly built up and reached its crescendo when the star walked on stage

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Check out additional betting data in the Vegas Insider report, and some of the biggest bets ahead of NFL conference championship weekend with watch and wager action also driven by more prop bets - which will hit a crescendo for the Super Bowl. —Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

Recent trends makes path for Black coaches unclear There has been a backlash against affirmative action and the diversity-equity-inclusion initiatives that reached a crescendo in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement after George Floyd’s murder in 2020. —Eddie Pells, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025

If his professional aspirations were one step forward and two steps back, his personal life was a joyful crescendo. —Alia Malek, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025

That rage hit a crescendo earlier this month when Trump threatened to completely stop windmills from being built in the United States. —Matt Egan, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Italian, noun derivative of crescendo "increasing," gerund of crescere "to increase, grow," going back to Latin crēscere "to come into existence, increase in size or numbers" — more at crescent entry 1

Adverb or adjective

borrowed from Italian — more at crescendo entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb Or Adjective

1807, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

crescendo

noun

cre·​scen·​do

kri-ˈshen-dō

plural crescendos or crescendoes

1

: a gradual increase especially in the loudness of music

2

: the peak of a gradual increase

crescendo adverb or adjective