climax

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈklaɪmæks/ 🇺🇸 /ˈklaɪˌmæks/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The most intense, exciting, or important point of something; the culmination of a series of events or a narrative.; The peak of sexual excitement during intercourse, resulting in orgasm.; In ecology, the final stable stage of ecological succession in a given environment.; In rhetoric, a figure of speech in which words, phrases, or clauses are arranged in order of increasing importance.
  2. verb
    To reach the most intense or important point; to culminate.; To experience an orgasm.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: climaxes 3rd sing.: climaxes Past: climaxed Past part.: climaxed Pres part.: climaxing

Collocations

reach a climaxbuild to a climaxcome to a climaxsexual climaxthe climax of the story

Derivatives

climacticanticlimaxanticlimacticclimacteric

Synonyms

culminationpeakapexzenithpinnaclecrest

Antonyms

anticlimaxnadir

Commonly confused

climatic
EN: 'Climactic' relates to a climax (the peak moment); 'climatic' relates to climate (weather patterns).
anticlimax
EN: 'Anticlimax' is a disappointing letdown after a buildup, the opposite of a climax.

Spelling tips

EN: Do not confuse 'climactic' (relating to a climax) with 'climatic' (relating to climate). The plural is 'climaxes,' not 'climaces.'

💬 Examples

  1. The climax of the movie came when the hero finally confronted the villain.

  2. The novel contained explicit descriptions of the characters reaching climax.

  3. The old-growth forest represents the climax community of this region.

  4. The speech used climax to build from minor grievances to a call for revolution.

  5. The festival will climax with a spectacular fireworks display.

  6. The scene in the film implied that both characters had climaxed.