culminate
verb
Frederick Marryat
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When a star or other heavenly body culminates, it reaches its highest point above the horizon from the vantage point of an observer on the ground. Culminate was drawn from Medieval Latin culminare, meaning "to crown," specifically for this astronomical application. Its ultimate root is Latin culmen, meaning "top." Today, the word’s typical context is less lofty: it can mean “to reach a climactic point,” as in “a long career culminating in a prestigious award,” but it can also simply mean "to reach the end of something,” as in “a sentence culminating in a period.”
Examples of culminate in a Sentence
Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2025
For decades, San Diego State’s spring football practice culminated with its spring game, an intrasquad scrimmage that whet the appetites of fans for the season to come.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
As the tragedies and pain build, the brothers’ story culminates in a shocking act of brutality that changes the very landscape.
—Justin Porter, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
All of the work culminates with competitions, Bowman’s favorite part of doing French ring along with the sport’s complexity.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culminate
Cite this Entry
“Culminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culminate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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culminate
verb
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