climax

[ klahy-maks ]

noun

1. the highest or most intense point in the development or resolution of something; culmination:

   His career reached its climax when he was elected president.

   Synonyms: apex, acme, zenith, summit

2. (in a dramatic or literary work) a decisive moment that is of maximum intensity or is a major turning point in a plot.
3. Rhetoric.
   1. a figure consisting of a series of related ideas so arranged that each surpasses the preceding in force or intensity.
   2. the last term or member of this figure.
4. an orgasm.
5. Ecology. the stable and self-perpetuating end stage in the ecological succession or evolution of a plant and animal community.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to bring to or reach a climax.

climax

/ ˈklaɪmæks /

noun

1. the most intense or highest point of an experience or of a series of events

   the party was the climax of the week

2. a decisive moment in a dramatic or other work
3. a rhetorical device by which a series of sentences, clauses, or phrases are arranged in order of increasing intensity
4. ecology the stage in the development of a community during which it remains stable under the prevailing environmental conditions
5. Also calledsexual climax (esp in referring to women) another word for orgasm

verb

1. to reach or bring to a climax

Other Words From

• hyper·climax noun
• un·climaxed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of climax¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Late Latin, from Greek klîmax “ladder,” akin to klī́nein “to lean”

Word History and Origins

Origin of climax¹

C16: from Late Latin, from Greek klimax ladder

Example Sentences

Characters already play the family upright at important moments in the story, and it plays a crucial role in the emotional climax.

From Los Angeles Times

Zeldovich has spun a thrilling tale, but one hopes it’s just the beginning and middle of the story, with the climax of phage-fueled medicine yet to come.

From Salon

Hours later, the situation reached a tragic climax when a failed rescue attempt at a nearby airfield led to the deaths of all the hostages, along with five of the attackers and a West German police officer.

From Los Angeles Times

These two arcs come together in a stunning climax, revealing that the film is both historical and autobiographical, drawing on a horrible, little-known tragedy from Selvaraj’s own childhood.

From New York Times

The fact that the Bath native is among those competing in the tournament that marks the climax of the European tour’s Race to Dubai is noteworthy in its own right.

From BBC

Related Words

• capstone
• turning point