culminate

verb

cul·​mi·​nate ˈkəl-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce culminate (audio)
culminated; culminating

intransitive verb

1
of a celestial body : to reach its highest altitude
During the summer solstice, the sun culminates over the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere.
also : to be directly overhead
2
a
: to rise to or form a summit
… enormous waves culminated and fell with the report of thunder.Frederick Marryat
b
: to reach the highest or a climactic or decisive point
Her long acting career culminated when she won the Oscar.

transitive verb

: to bring to a head or to the highest point
The contract culminated weeks of negotiations.

Did you know?

When a star or other heavenly body culminates, it reaches its highest point above the horizon from the vantage point of an observer on the ground. Culminate was drawn from Medieval Latin culminare, meaning "to crown," specifically for this astronomical application. Its ultimate root is Latin culmen, meaning "top." Today, the word’s typical context is less lofty: it can mean “to reach a climactic point,” as in “a long career culminating in a prestigious award,” but it can also simply mean "to reach the end of something,” as in “a sentence culminating in a period.”

Examples of culminate in a Sentence

A bitter feud culminated months of tension. culminated the school year with a trip to New York
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The veteran reality/competition was an immediate hit upon arrival on May 31, 2000, culminating with over 51 million viewers for that first season finale. Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 This culminates in a confrontation between Ellie and Abby in the theater which − in a moment that made millions of gamers throw their controllers across the room in frustration − abruptly cuts to black mid-scene. Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 27 May 2025 The Geneva Park District is accepting applications for the 2025 Geneva’s Got Talent competition, an annual event culminating with semi-finals and finals on stage during the Swedish Days Festival this summer in the city. Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025 The top floor of the Palazzo Molteni Tokyo culminates in a home space called the Molteni Apartment, accessible with a private elevator. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for culminate

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin culminatus, past participle of culminare, from Late Latin, to crown, from Latin culmin-, culmen top — more at hill

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of culminate was in 1647

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Culminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culminate. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

culminate

verb
cul·​mi·​nate ˈkəl-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce culminate (audio)
culminated; culminating
: to reach the highest point
culmination
ˌkəl-mə-ˈnā-shən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on culminate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!