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

Related Words

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
Then another plane hit the second tower, then another the Pentagon, and still another that crashed in Shanksville — a 77-minute crescendo of unfolding civic trauma. — Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 11 Sep. 2026 For hours, officials, journalists and onlookers stood outside as the culmination of a yearslong campaign to prove wrongdoing in Fulton’s 2020 election reached a new crescendo. — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 8 Sep. 2026 The players either dramatically make or subtly avoid eye contact with one another as the song builds to an epic crescendo, complete with eerie chanting, orchestral bombast, and booming timpani drums. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026 But hope can be spun from the darkest of shadows, and the Night Court has its own part to play in the looming crescendo. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 17 Aug. 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
  • Macho Cowboy At the top of the pinnacle of power within the telenovela structure is the macho cowboy whose high emotional expressions of jealousy, anger, and confrontation are accepted as passionate acts of strength or romantic gestures.
    — Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The Nike Apex, as the name suggests, will be the new pinnacle of the Swoosh’s race day fleet.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of pinnacle
Verb
  • Temperatures are expected to peak above 100 degrees in the foothills and further south in portions of the San Joaquin Valley.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • High temperatures are expected to peak around 74 degrees in Chicago this week.
    — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of peak
Noun
  • At its zenith, the collection of buildings housed world-famous galleries and artist exhibitions that made the gritty section of Santa Monica an unlikely contemporary art capital.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Eventing, at the best of times, is an adrenaline junky’s zenith; a game for the preternaturally brave and ineffably technically minded.
    — Tilly Berendt, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of zenith
Noun
  • Theo Bunch, director of Build Trybe, told The Star that the groundbreaking was the culmination of several months of planning and talks with other groups in the community.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The list is the culmination of a yearlong editorial vetting process where thousands of products are submitted for consideration and Allure editors run extensive tests to select winners, according to Allure.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of culmination
Noun
  • After a 20-minute telecast delay due to the NFL game, the pop icon began her performance perched on the top of a piano as Carpenter played the keys.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
  • DeFoe finished 13th in the angler-of-the-year race and finished in the top 12 in four of the circuit's seven tournaments.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of top
Noun
  • Rooms Faraway Sag Harbor has 67 guest rooms and suites, including a handful of lofts with double-height ceilings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • That’s a delicate way of saying that the neighborhood, for all its density and height, is still a little underpopulated.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of height
Noun
  • Jo and Raissa play this conflict out on screen in a story that balances action and adventure with an emotional climax that left me in tears.
    — Parents, Parents, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The climax of the book is the fight over who would run the private company.
    — Lane Brown, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of climax
Noun
  • Artificial Intelligence has become the apex of this phenomenon.
    — Rumman Chowdhury, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
  • According to track telemetry, F2 cars approach Turn 15 at about 155 to 161 mph, while apex speeds range from 50 to 60 mph.
    — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 24 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 4 Oct. 2026.

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