Word
culmination
Phoneticscul·mi·na·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌkəɫməˈneɪʃən/
UK/kˌʌlmɪnˈeɪʃən/
Countable noun
Definition
n. the final result of a long process or a lot of hard work. It is the highest point or the end of a series of events.
n. the highest point of attainment or the final stage of a process, typically reached after a long period of time. Often implies the successful completion of a series of actions.
Examples
“The concert was the culmination of months of practice.”
“The new law represents the culmination of years of campaigning by environmental activists.”
“The gallery's retrospective exhibition serves as the culmination of the artist's forty-year career, bringing together works from every major period of her creative development.”
Examples
simple
“The concert was the culmination of months of practice.”
contextual
“The new law represents the culmination of years of campaigning by environmental activists.”
complex
“The gallery's retrospective exhibition serves as the culmination of the artist's forty-year career, bringing together works from every major period of her creative development.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' to indicate the process that led to the result.
Real-World Examples
“The trial, expected to last four weeks, may not resolve the question of who killed Shakur, but members of his family have described it as the culmination of years of grief and trauma.” “The judge said the baby's death was not the culmination of repeated instances of neglect or abuse over a period of weeks or months.” Etymology
Borrowed from French culmination, from culminer, or from Medieval Latin culminatus + -tion. Morphologically culminate + -ion.
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
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/culmination