as in climactic
of, relating to, or being a major turning point
as the war reached its climacteric phase, the atrocities dramatically increased, both in number and brutality
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in climax
a point in a chain of events at which an important change (as in one's fortunes) occurs
historians attempting to pinpoint the Roman Empire's climacteric, that precise moment when it began its long downhill slide
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of climacteric
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 July 2025
For this reader, roughly the same age as Sam Raymond, there is uncommon pleasure in the paradoxes of this climacteric tale.
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021
Macerating unripe climacteric fruit in sugar, however, isn’t a substitute for ripening them; that just takes time in your kitchen counter’s fruit basket.
—Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 8 May 2017
Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 31 May 2022
Adjective
Keeping high-ethylene producers away from climacteric fruits can keep them from ripening too quickly.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 July 2025
For this reader, roughly the same age as Sam Raymond, there is uncommon pleasure in the paradoxes of this climacteric tale.
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021
Macerating unripe climacteric fruit in sugar, however, isn’t a substitute for ripening them; that just takes time in your kitchen counter’s fruit basket.
—Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 8 May 2017
Noun
These are called climacteric, and will respond to the presence of ethylene by producing more ethylene.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 31 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for climacteric
Adjective
-
But leading up to The Devil Wears Prada 2 (now in theaters), production designer Jess Gonchor knew the set pieces seen in the iconic 2006 blockbuster needed an aesthetic facelift—from the Runway magazine offices to our heroine’s apartment to the climactic overseas hot spot.—
Mara Reinstein,
Architectural Digest,
1 May 2026
-
The problem with this climactic Episode 3 scene wasn’t necessarily the action itself.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At the climax of the episode, two kingfishers sported over a stream, a dazzling dogfight of orange and blue.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
At the climax, the music, seemingly stuck in a digital rut, comes to a halt as a static image of Charli is busted through by a bunch of young men seemingly bringing a mosh pit out into the open.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Furthermore, the Chinese company behind the system has already begun moving toward commercialization, with its earlier Hanyuan-1 model reaching an important milestone in November last year after winning its first contracts from customers in both China and overseas markets.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
-
For him, Gleevec's 25th anniversary is a milestone.—
Sydney Lupkin,
NPR,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jasper then went on to re-team with Searchlight for post-apocalyptic musical drama O’dessa, starring Sadie Sink, which was released on Hulu in 2025.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
-
Janelle Monáe’s Met Gala 2026 red carpet look was channeling post-apocalyptic glamour, thanks to Christian Siriano.—
Renan Botelho,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Their goal is to protect, restore, and enhance the three-mile waterway, as well as raise awareness of the historic watershed.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
The Upper Mokelumne watershed plays a major role in storing and filtering water for Northern California communities.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Morton was critical in helping the Broncos reach their first-ever playoff appearance, ultimately getting them to Super Bowl XII during the 1977 campaign.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
-
When the war started, governments scrambled to adapt to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for energy flowing to Asia.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The agreement, signed by all parties to the landmark case that is now in its sixth year, drops a requirement that the city remove 9,800 homeless encampments by next June.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
The neighborhood The Çırağan has always relied heavily on its almost unparalleled waterfront location, as well as proximity to landmarks like the Dolmabahçe Palace.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
But what makes this offseason a pivotal moment for them is the additional tax rate known as the repeater tax — a more severe financial penalty based on five-year windows, incentivizing owners not to spend excessively over the salary cap for prolonged periods.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
-
Furthermore, Sharpe spent six months learning how to tinkle the ivories, an impressive commitment which pays off during the pivotal piano battles and ensures a welcome absence of clumsy cutaways from fingers to face.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Climacteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/climacteric. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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