crescendo 1 of 2

noun

krə-ˈshen-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce crescendo (audio)
Definition of crescendonext
as in pinnacle
the highest part or point excitement in the auditorium slowly built up and reached its crescendo when the star walked on stage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crescendo

2 of 2

verb

as in to peak

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of crescendo
Noun
The boosted bass gets a little overbearing when the kick drum is at a constant patter, particularly during the mounting crescendo near the end, which creates something of a muddy swell in the lower register. — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026 Those conversations reached a crescendo as Chu, an old friend of Chen’s, prepared to release Crazy Rich Asians, Hollywood’s first studio film in 25 years with a majority Asian cast. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026 As the strings quiver like a James Bond crescendo, the song gets stereophonic, like we’re being blasted deeper into the cushions of a conversation pit. — Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 29 July 2026 As the days wore on, the crowds swelled, reaching a crescendo on July 20, after the Modi government forcibly removed Wanghuck from the protest site on the 21st day of his hunger strike. — Yamini Aiyar, Time, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for crescendo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crescendo
  1. pinnacle
  2. peak
  3. zenith
  4. culmination
  5. top
  6. height
  7. climax
  8. apex
Noun
  • The performances made history as the biggest ever open-air concerts in the UK (the crowd numbered 125,000 both days) and are often cited as representing the pinnacle of the Britpop era.
    — Devinder Bains, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The line, which belongs to the near-unanimous greatest player of all time and is still widely considered to be the pinnacle of signature athletic footwear, has fallen out of favor with hoopers, and the data backs it up.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of pinnacle
Verb
  • According to LinkedIn’s 2025 analysis, hiring and job transitions typically peak between July and September, fall sharply in December and rise again in January.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Three cases of West Nile Virus in Mecklenburg County may not be the end, as cases usually peak in September, according to Mecklenburg County Public Health.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of peak
Noun
  • Windstar passengers can tour the ancient castle at the hilly town’s zenith, lounge on one of the sandy beaches, or visit an olive grove, where extra-virgin olive oil is produced using traditional methods.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • If you were forced to pick the moment the Los Angeles romance with itself reached a zenith — and before things all went so wrong — the sunny morning of April 25, 2017, might be a good choice.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of zenith
Noun
  • The public warnings are the culmination of growing concern globally about the capability of AI, following numerous cyberattacks and security incidents in recent months by rogue models developed by both OpenAI and Anthropic.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The occasion was the culmination of five years of planning, according to officials, and will help local firefighters and federal agencies work hand in hand.
    — Noah Daly, Idaho Statesman, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of culmination
Noun
  • But Siniaková, unlike many women at the top of the doubles leaderboard, is not strictly a doubles specialist.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • When the sequence was complete, the roof had disappeared into the rear of the car, turning this enormous Cadillac into an open-top grand tourer.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of top
Noun
  • Competitors had to lift them onto podiums at different heights in the quickest time possible.
    — Rob Tanner, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The height variations alone generated strong ESM signals, proving that false data could appear out of thin air.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of height
Noun
  • At this point occurs the climax of the tale, Ichabod’s encounter with the headless horseman, whom the reader assumes is Brom Bones playing a mischievous trick on him.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Regardless of whether players and fans believe the series features one Link or multiple Links across the convoluted timeline posited in the Hyrule Historia, each of these games ends at a moment of frustrated erotic climax.
    — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of climax
Noun
  • His work has helped people learn that the apex predators are around humans more often than once thought.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The largest Tyrannosaurus rex fossils ever discovered belong to a 66-million-year-old apex predator named Scotty.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of apex

Browse Nearby Words

crepuscules
crescendo
crescendoed
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Cite this Entry

“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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