climactic
adjUK /ˌklɑjˈmaktɪk/ · /ˌklaɪˈmæk.tɪk/
Etymology From climax + -ic on analogy of syntactic.
1
Of, pertaining to, or constituting a climax; reaching a decisive moment or point of greatest excitement.
- The race ended in a climactic, neck-and-neck scramble for the finish line.
- ... and the ending (within the last 50-ish pages) is simply incredible; very climactic.2011 December 13, Antony Jones, “Book review of 'Elantris' by Brandon Sanderson”, in SF Book:
2 more examples
- And in Paris, Wick has a meeting with the Marquis, the Eiffel Tower providing a picturesque backdrop. A big, climactic scene is set on the steps and in the shadow of Sacré-Coeur.2023 March 14, Caryn James, “John Wick: Chapter 4: 'Soars above most action films'”, in BBC:
- Then we went to General Hospital, which is a very climactic sound. And we ended it with the best, Days of our Lives.2024 May 31, Janet di Lauro, “DAYS’s Elia Cantu Reveals The Backstory of Her Musical Performance”, in Soap Opera Digest:
- Derived terms
- anticlimactic, climactically, disclimactic, paraclimactic, plagioclimactic, postclimactic, preclimactic, unclimactic