culminate

[kuhl-muh-neyt]

verb (used without object)

culminated, culminating 

1. to reach the highest point, summit, or highest development (usually followed byin ).

2. to end or arrive at a final stage (usually followed byin ).

   The argument culminated in a fistfight.

3. to rise to or form an apex; terminate (usually followed byin ).

   The tower culminates in a tall spire.

4. Astronomy.,  (of a celestial body) to be on the meridian, or reach the highest or the lowest altitude.

verb (used with object)

culminated, culminating 

1. to bring to a close; complete; climax.

   The president's signature on this bill culminates an eight-year campaign for legislation to help individuals and families finance their long-term disability needs.

culminate

/ ˈkʌlmɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. to end or cause to end, esp to reach or bring to a final or climactic stage

2. (intr) (of a celestial body) to cross the meridian of the observer

Word History and Origins

Origin of culminate¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Late Latin culminātus (past participle of culmināre to come to a peak), equivalent to Latin culmin- (stem of culmen ) “peak, top” + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of culminate¹

C17: from Late Latin culmināre to reach the highest point, from Latin culmen top

Example Sentences

Progressives point to the successful, decades-long campaign that culminated in the overturning of Roe v.

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Thursday's commemorations will be held throughout the day at the various attack sites, culminating with the opening of a 13 November garden near Paris City Hall.

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Take the effort to outlaw racial segregation in public schools that culminated in the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v.

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Her assistant Wen Jian - at her own trial last year, which culminated in a six-year jail term for money laundering - said Qian had spent most of her days lying in bed, gaming and online shopping.

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Those efforts culminated in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which commits the world to limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to keep it below 1.5C.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• cap 
• climax 
• conclude 
• end up 
• round off 
• terminate 
• wind up