CULMINATION Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'culmination' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of culmination are acme , apex , climax , peak , pinnacle , and summit . While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective. // the culmination of years of effort

Q: When would 'acme' be a good substitute for 'culmination'?

The synonyms acme and culmination are sometimes interchangeable, but acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing. // a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

Q: Where would 'apex' be a reasonable alternative to 'culmination'?

The meanings of apex and culmination largely overlap; however, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge. // the apex of Dutch culture

Q: When is it sensible to use 'climax' instead of 'culmination'?

The words climax and culmination are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, climax implies the highest point in an ascending series. // the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

Q: When could 'peak' be used to replace 'culmination'?

The words peak and culmination can be used in similar contexts, but peak suggests the highest among other high points. // an artist working at the peak of her powers

Q: When might 'pinnacle' be a better fit than 'culmination'?

Although the words pinnacle and culmination have much in common, pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height. // the pinnacle of worldly success

Q: When can 'summit' be used instead of 'culmination'?

While in some cases nearly identical to culmination , summit implies the topmost level attainable. // at the summit of the Victorian social scene

culmination

noun

ˌkəl-mə-ˈnā-shən

Definition of culmination next

as in pinnacle

the highest part or point an acting performance that was seen as the culmination of a brilliant career on the stage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the noun culmination differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of culmination are acme, apex, climax, peak, pinnacle, and summit. While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When would acme be a good substitute for culmination?

The synonyms acme and culmination are sometimes interchangeable, but acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

Where would apex be a reasonable alternative to culmination?

The meanings of apex and culmination largely overlap; however, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When is it sensible to use climax instead of culmination?

The words climax and culmination are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When could peak be used to replace culmination?

The words peak and culmination can be used in similar contexts, but peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

When might pinnacle be a better fit than culmination?

Although the words pinnacle and culmination have much in common, pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

When can summit be used instead of culmination?

While in some cases nearly identical to culmination, summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

Examples 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 culmination The event is the culmination of season-long competition where marching band halftime shows are adjudicated by a panel of marching band experts. —

Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 6 Dec. 2024 The trial is the culmination of a civil case that was filed in July 2020 by the women after a federal lawsuit was dismissed earlier that year. —

Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024 The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, is the culmination of a years-long saga between TikTok and the U.S. government, which views the app's data collection practices as a potential national security threat. —

Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024 Crafting moments that nourish and connect guests to faraway places is an art and The Greatest Safari on Earth experience is the culmination of a lifetime of experiences. —

Deborah Calmeyer, Travel + Leisure, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for culmination

Recent Examples of Synonyms for culmination

Noun

These expressions represent the pinnacle of The Glen Grant's craftsmanship and testify to the distillery's commitment to quality.

Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
The 20th century had seen pure abstraction claimed as visual art’s pinnacle.

Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024