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

Relevance

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
His demands can be meticulous and technical — a shorter staccato, a heavier bow, a more robust crescendo. — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026 Mahomes was the last Chiefs player to be announced during pregame introductions, roaring himself as the din inside of Arrowhead Stadium reached a crescendo. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026 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 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
  • Creating brand hunger while ensuring brands remain the pinnacle of creative prestige is no small feat.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
  • There is another band from the ’70s who in their own way are seen as the pinnacle of technical intensity, which is Steely Dan, who Jeff played with.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of pinnacle
Verb
  • The warm aquatic pulse could add 6 to 12 inches to background sea levels for months and cause flooding if there are storms or high tides, like the swell from distant Hurricane Rachel expected to peak Thursday and Friday.
    — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Isaias could peak as a Category 2 storm with 110 mph winds by early Friday, but is expected to weaken somewhat before landfall.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of peak
Noun
  • Across much of the path, the eclipse takes place with the sun almost at the zenith.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Zara, which has been upping its retail game in recent years, has taken things to a new zenith in Paris, taking over a historic mansion in the Marais district to showcase the first Re{form} Zara collection designed by John Galliano.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of zenith
Noun
  • There is little judgment of the quality of the works, and consequently little culmination.
    — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This tendency reached its culmination with the pandemic, when official discourse in places like Brazil and the United States literally began to say that people had to choose between the economy and life.
    — Via Haymarket Books, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of culmination
Noun
  • Instead of using a conventional crane capable of reaching the top of the tower, the company used a telescoping tower design.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Waiting at the top is a life-changing jackpot, to share with whoever makes it there.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of top
Noun
  • Philbrick, a seasoned and popular chronicler of the American past, is equally concerned with those who got trampled by the rush as with those who rode it to astonishing heights of wealth and influence.
    — Richard Kreitner, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Building 1 offers a clear ceiling height of up to 25 feet at the peak, while building 2 provides approximately 18 feet of clear height.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 Oct. 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
  • The apex predators were extirpated in the state in the 1920s, beginning to naturally recolonize their native digs only 15 years ago.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • What could pose an even deadlier threat than the apex predators of the Congo River Basin are the diseases that crop up in a myriad of places.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of apex

Browse Nearby Words

crepuscules
crescendo
crescendoed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crescendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crescendo. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All