culminate

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "culminate" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe the highest point or to refer to the climax of a situation. For example: "The school year culminated with an exciting graduation ceremony."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The case is expected to resume again on Friday of next week for directions and is likely to culminate in a hearing before the full bench of the high court.

The Guardian

The attacks would culminate "with myself detonating a belt of explosives amongst the kuffar", he wrote.

The Guardian

Pride builds on what has become a veritable subgenre in British cinema post-miners' strike (and post-Comic Book's Strike!), conjuring accessible feelgood tales out of our industrial decline – which invariably culminate in a small but symbolic victory to reassure us that, contrary to Margaret Thatcher's famous dictum, there still is such a thing as society.

The Guardian - Film

"We have seen cases where young people have been groomed online but it is rare for it to culminate in such a dreadful and violent murder.

The Guardian

Many students are now in their final term of the academic year: all the hours spent attending classes, studying and revising culminate in the assignments and exams scheduled for the next couple of months.

The Guardian

The Night Wolves, or Nochnye Volki – otherwise known as Putin's Rockers because of their ties to the Russian president – is on a 3,700-mile 3,700-mileour" across Europe, which is due to culminate in a mass rally in Berlin on Friday.

The Guardian

A forthcoming series of strikes is supposed to culminate in a nationwide "day of action" on March 14th.One reason for the strong feelings is that, after a slow and shaky start, the government's ambitious plans announced 15 months ago to overhaul the whole of France's hideously complex and wasteful state health system are beginning to bite.

The Economist

This is a stricter standard than that recommended by America's health authorities.The review will lead to further discussions with governments, lobby groups and companies, intended to culminate in a global "strategy" on diet, physical activity and health next year.

The Economist

However, many loud voices in Washington, DC, and a few softer ones in Tehran, see this as an opportunity to move to a broader negotiation that could culminate in an historic reconciliation between the old enemies.Could it happen?

The Economist

In Rocester, he made plain the extent to which that effort, which is to culminate in a referendum on Britain's EU membership, has become about carving Britain-sized exceptions to EU freedom of movement rules.

The Economist

The summit will culminate on September 4th, when over 100 heads of government (not including Mr Powell's boss, George Bush) are expected in town to bless the proceedings.Because negotiators are busy haggling over everything from trade to aid to technology transfer, it is anybody's guess what the bigwigs will agree to in the end.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "culminate" to emphasize that a process or series of events has reached a significant conclusion or climax. It adds a sense of importance and finality to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "culminate" too frequently in your writing, as it can make your prose sound repetitive or overly dramatic. Consider using synonyms like "end", "finish", or "conclude" to add variety.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "culminate" is as an intransitive verb. It signifies the attainment of a final stage or climax in a process or series of events, as demonstrated in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

24%

Formal & Business

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "culminate" is a versatile verb indicating the reaching of a final or decisive point. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and suitable for various writing contexts. Predominantly found in News & Media, Science and Formal & Business writing, its function is to emphasize the importance of a concluding event. While the word is appropriate, overuse can lead to repetitive prose. Consider incorporating synonyms such as "reach a climax" or "come to a head" to maintain variety. Overall, "culminate" is a valuable addition to one's writing when used strategically to highlight a significant outcome.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reach a climax

This alternative focuses on the peak of excitement or intensity.

reach its peak

This alternative focuses on achieving the highest point or level.

come to a head

This alternative suggests a crisis or critical point being reached.

result in

This alternative highlights the consequence or outcome of a process.

reach fruition

This alternative emphasizes the successful realization of something planned or worked for.

terminate

A formal term for coming to an end.

come to an end

This is a more general way of expressing the termination of a process or event.

close

Suggests a formal ending.

end up

This suggests a final result, often without a sense of grandeur or planning.

finish

Indicates the completion of something.

FAQs

How to use "culminate" in a sentence?

Use "culminate" to indicate that a process or series of events has reached a final or decisive point. For example, "The project will "culminate" in a presentation."

What can I say instead of "culminate"?

You can use alternatives like "reach a climax", "come to a head", or "reach fruition" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "culminate" or "come to a culmination"?

"Culminate" is a more concise and direct way to express the idea of reaching a final point. "Come to a culmination" is grammatically correct but can sound redundant.

What's the difference between "culminate" and "end"?

"End" simply means to finish, while "culminate" implies that the ending is a significant and often climactic result of a process. Culminate expresses a sense of progression that "end" lacks.