climactic

Also cli·mac·ti·cal

[klahy-mak-tik]

adjective

1. pertaining to or coming to a climax.

   the climactic scene of a play.

climactic

/ klaɪˈmæktɪkəl, klaɪˈmæktɪk /

adjective

1. consisting of, involving, or causing a climax

Other Word Forms

• climactically adverb
• nonclimactic adjective
• nonclimactical adjective
• unclimactic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of climactic¹

1870–75; from climax, perhaps on model of syntax, syntactic

Example Sentences

Almost always, our storylines lead to a climactic battle fought with plastic lightsabers from the dollar store.

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A climactic scene between these two actors in which Jackson cross-examines Göring is a riveting piece of courtroom drama.

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Mr. Michôd is far more interested in the shocking events in her private life that yield a third act far more powerful than the usual climactic fight typical of so many boxing pictures.

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It’s a pleasure to watch a climactic game with outrageous defense.

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The elements are in place for another climactic finish to the latest chapter of this real-life manga, and baseball might never be the same after this.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crowning 
• decisive 

When To Use

What’s the difference between climactic and climatic?

Climactic is used to describe things that involve or feel like a climax—the culmination or most intense part of a story or situation. Climatic means relating to climate—the average atmospheric conditions that prevail in a given region over a long period of time—whether a place is generally cold and wet or hot and dry, for example.Climactic is used in situations in which a peak of some kind is being reached, such as a climactic ending of a movie. The word anticlimactic is used—perhaps more commonly—to mean the opposite, such as when you expect something exciting to happen but it doesn’t.Climatic is not all that commonly used, especially because it has a much more narrow meaning. It’s typically used in scientific contexts involving climate and weather.You can keep their spellings straight by remembering that climactic comes from climax, so it needs that c in replacement of the x before the ending -tic. Climatic, on the other hand, is basically climate plus the -ic ending (with the e having been dropped).Here’s an example of climactic and climatic used correctly in a sentence.Example: Many people have failed to recognize the danger of the change in climatic conditions because the change has been a relatively gradual one, rather than a dramatic, climactic spike—but that may soon change.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between climactic and climatic.