culmination

noun

cul·​mi·​na·​tion ˌkəl-mə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the action of culminating

2

: culminating position : climax

the culmination of a brilliant career

the culmination of years of research

Synonyms of culmination

• pinnacle
• zenith
• top
• height
• peak
• climax
• apex

Choose the Right Synonym for culmination

summit, peak, pinnacle, climax, apex, acme, culmination mean the highest point attained or attainable.

summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

Examples of culmination in a Sentence

This study is the culmination of years of research.

an acting performance that was seen as the culmination of a brilliant career on the stage

Recent Examples on the Web

The scene was the culmination of months of competition across Montage’s 15 properties. —Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 11 May 2026

The performance was the culmination of discussions that firmed up in September 2025, when the band agreed to a residency and set off on a sprint to assemble a four-act spectacle that captured the grit and grind of the group’s ascent. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 8 May 2026

The annual Met Gala is a culmination of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of hours of work to make the looks on the carpet happen — and 2026 was no different. —Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 7 May 2026

Village Manager Pat Carr said in August the moratorium was the culmination of more than a year’s work on a larger village planning initiative that began in 2024, known as Tinley in Tune. —Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

see culminate

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for culmination

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation