culminate

verb

ˈkəl-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce culminate (audio)
Definition of culminatenext
as in to complete
to bring to a triumphant conclusion culminated the school year with a trip to New York

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 culminate The result is Times Travel, a purportedly immersive journey through the history of Times Square and the New Year’s Eve Ball that culminates in a view of the IRL city. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026 Don Wolfensberger is a 28-year congressional staff veteran culminating as chief of staff of the House Rules Committee. — Don Wolfensberger, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026 On The Spy Who Loved Me, Grover was tasked with editing the iconic pre-credit sequence that culminates with Moore skiing and then parachuting off a cliff. — Rhett Bartlett, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026 Jones and Schottenheimer retraced the offensive sequence that culminated in Brandon Aubrey’s 23-yard game-tying field goal, beginning with the playcalling after Dallas reached first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for culminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culminate
  1. complete
  2. finish
  3. conclude
  4. crown
  5. climax
Verb
  • The oceanfront lawn, beachfront restaurant, and intricate sand sculptures complete the picture.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Tuesday night’s episode of NBC’s The Voice saw team leaders Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, Queen Latifah, and Riley Green complete their rosters as the Blind Auditions came to an end.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of complete
Verb
  • The sauna, steam room, and 16-head walk-in shower finish out the treatment options.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But that cannot be used as an excuse because the Dolphins scored just 13 points in each of the games that Achane finished.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of finish
Verb
  • The fourth concluded with Willis’ second costly lost fumble in two weeks, after Dallas Turner beat Austin Jackson.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' 2022 review of fetal awareness concluded that pain perception requires an integrated network of neural connections.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Only the dark bodies of container ships, crowned with blinking lights, massed along the sea’s horizon, as solid as a wall.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The expansion comes months after the restaurant was crowned the city’s best soul food in a CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice poll.
    — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of crown
Verb
  • In Lloyd’s production, the action climaxes with Benedick and Beatrice in an encounter that nods to Dirty Dancing.
    — Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The Sex Pistols were due in San Francisco at any moment, and punk rock in America was about to climax.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of climax

Browse Nearby Words

culls
culminate
culminated
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Cite this Entry

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

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