Word
culminate
Phoneticscul·mi·nate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkəɫmɪˌneɪt/
UK/kˈʌlmɪnˌeɪt/
Definition
v. to reach the highest point or the final result of a long process. You use this when something has been building up and finally finishes with a big event.
v. to reach a final or highest point; to result in a specific conclusion after a period of development. Often used in the passive voice to describe the end of a series of events.
Examples
“The festival will culminate in a large fireworks display.”
“After months of intense research and preparation, the team's efforts will culminate in the final presentation to the board.”
“The author's career, which began in obscure literary journals, eventually culminated in a prestigious national award and a permanent place in the university's curriculum.”
Examples
simple
“The festival will culminate in a large fireworks display.”
contextual
“After months of intense research and preparation, the team's efforts will culminate in the final presentation to the board.”
complex
“The author's career, which began in obscure literary journals, eventually culminated in a prestigious national award and a permanent place in the university's curriculum.”
Real-World Examples
“Few suspected, though, the chaos that was about to unspool at Chelsea, culminating with Mourinho’s dismissal that December.” “Keely Hodgkinson has been here before - and it eventually culminated in her crowning moment.” Etymology
First attested in 1647; borrowed from Medieval Latin culminātus, perfect passive participle of culminō (“to crown”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from Latin culmen (“peak, the highest point”), older form columen (“top, summit”), from Proto-Italic kolamen, from a Proto-Indo-European base kol-, *kelH- (“to project, rise; peak, summit, top”), whence also English hill and holm.
First attested in 1846; borrowed from Medieval Latin culminātus, see Etymology 1 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/culminate