Dictionary

anticlimax en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• [ˈæ.ɾ̃iˌklaɪ.mæks] (General-American)
• /ˈæn.taɪˌklaɪ.mæks/ (General-American)
• /ˈæn.tiˌklaɪ.mæks/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts Proto-Indo-European *-i Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti Ancient Greek ᾰ̓ντῐ́ (ăntĭ́) Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-)der. English anti- English climax English anticlimax From anti- + climax.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A failed or reverse climax, particularly
   • If the siege of Boston seemed to end in anticlimax, with the sudden retreat of British military forces, the siege of New York City seen from the inside, from under siege, seemed infinitely more portentous: “The Day is Come that in all Probility on which Depends the Salvation of this Countery.” 2009, Konstantin Dierks, “Revolution and War”, in In My Power: Letter Writing and Communications in Early America, Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania Press, →ISBN, page 225:
   • Reed, Superba of yore, made a gallant effort to summon the Promethean fire that once burned within him when it was his “listening senates to command,” but his vaunted perorations proved anticlimaces and his oratory a flop. 1935 September 18, “The Two Dromios, Jim and Jouette”, in Columbia Daily Tribune, volume XXXV, number 5, Columbia, Mo., page six, column 1:
   • Loving her physically would each time be a thrilling voyage without the anticlimax of arrival. 1953, Ian Fleming, “Tide of Passion”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 167:
2. (countable, uncountable) A failed or reverse climax ▸ An unsatisfying resolution to a narrative, usually owing to a deus ex machina or similarly trivial resolution of the main conflict.
3. (countable, rhetoric, uncountable) A failed or reverse climax ▸ An abrupt descent (either deliberate or unintentional) from the dignity of the idea which the speaker or writer appeared to be aiming for.

Forms

Antonyms

auxesis · climax · cliffhanger

Relateds

anticlimactic · underwhelm

Synonyms

bathos (partial)

Translations (53)

ky антиклимакс (break in the final climax) · kn ಆಂಟಿಕ್ಲೈಮ್ಯಾಕ್ಸ್ (break in the final climax) · ko 용두사미 (break in the final climax) · ga frithdhígeann (break in the final climax) · eo malklimakso (break in the final climax) · ca anticlímax (break in the final climax) · ja 竜頭蛇尾 (break in the final climax) · pl antyklimaks (in narration) · ka ანტიკლიმაქსი (break in the final climax) · sq antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · doi एंटीक्लाइमेक्स (break in the final climax) · tl gantinsukdol (break in the final climax) · el γελοία κατάπτωση (break in the final climax) · pl antygradacja (break in the final climax) · pl antyklimaks (rhetoric) · cs antiklimax (break in the final climax) · de antiklimax (break in the final climax) · ga frithbhuaic (break in the final climax) · nn antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · is antiklimax (break in the final climax) · eo antiklimakso (break in the final climax) · nb antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · pl antyklimaks (break in the final climax) · hi एंटीक्लाइमेक्स (break in the final climax) · pt anticlímax (break in the final climax) · as এন্টিক্লাইমেক্স (break in the final climax) · kk антиклимакс (break in the final climax) · id antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · az antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · bg антиклимакс (break in the final climax) · jv antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · eu antiklimax (break in the final climax) · hy հակակլիմաքս (break in the final climax) · pl antygradacja (in narration) · da antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · fi antikliimaksi (break in the final climax) · kri antiklaymaks (break in the final climax) · nl anticlimax (break in the final climax) · gl anticlímax (break in the final climax) · el απροσδόκητη κατάπτωση (break in the final climax) · be антыклімакс (break in the final climax) · bn অ্যান্টিক্লাইম্যাক্স (break in the final climax) · co anticlímax (break in the final climax) · af antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · et antikliimax (break in the final climax) · es anticlímax (break in the final climax) · pl antygradacja (rhetoric) · hu antiklimax (break in the final climax) · ceb antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · am አንቲክሊማክስ (break in the final climax) · dv އެންޓިކްލައިމެކްސް (break in the final climax) · ht antiklimaks (break in the final climax) · gu એન્ટિક્લાઈમેક્સ (break in the final climax)