climax

American  

[klahy-maks] / ˈklaɪ mæks /

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.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to bring to or reach a climax.

climax British  

/ 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 called: sexual climax.  (esp in referring to women) another word for orgasm

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verb

1. to reach or bring to a climax

Usage

What does climax mean? A climax is the most intense, decisive point of something, especially in a story or film.

Other Word Forms

• hyperclimax
  noun
• unclimaxed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of climax

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

Explanation

When something — like a movie or piece of music — reaches its most important or exciting part, that's the climax. A climax is a high point. When you're on a roller coaster and you reach the highest point, that's the climax of the ride. This word is also used often in art and entertainment. In an adventure movie, there's usually a moment near the end when there's a lot of danger, suspense, and action — a point the whole movie has been building towards. That's the climax. After a climax, tension is released and things calm down. After a climax, you probably want to say "Whew!"

Example Sentences

Lamar put Drake on blast in his halftime performance at the 2025 Super Bowl – the climax of which featured his diss track, “Not Like Us,” that only days prior had earned five Grammys.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

With two games to go, it looks like the destination of the trophy will not be decided until Hearts visit Celtic Park next Saturday in what would be a monumental head-to-head climax to the season.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

The purge reached a climax in January, when Xi placed his top military deputy, Gen. Zhang Youxia, under investigation for alleged misconduct.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

This wildly volatile session could mark a buying climax that often signals exhaustion.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

The waving man at the peak of the right triangle is the climax of this mood of rising hope and advancing motion.

From "The Annotated Mona Lisa" by Carol Strickland and John Boswell

Related Words

• capstone
• turning point