crescendo

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablemusic

   A steady rise in loudness in a piece of music, or the passage where this occurs.

   Grammar: Countable: a crescendo, two crescendos.

   Patterns

   • build to a crescendo

   The orchestra built to a thunderous crescendo at the end of the overture.

   The drummer started softly and rose in a long crescendo.

   The song's crescendo made the audience cheer.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   The highest point or climax of a process, event or feeling.

   Grammar: Often figurative: reach a crescendo.

   Patterns

   • reach a crescendo
   • build to a crescendo

   The protests reached a crescendo after the announcement.

   Her anger rose to a crescendo during the argument.

   The campaign built to a crescendo on election night.

Word forms

Common combinations

build to a crescendo

The tension built to a crescendo in the final scene.

reach a crescendo

The noise reached a crescendo as the team entered.

a rising crescendo

A rising crescendo of cheers filled the stadium.

a crescendo of noise

A crescendo of noise came from the market.

gradual crescendo

The music swelled in a gradual crescendo.

Synonyms and how they differ

climax

Climax refers to the highest point itself, while crescendo describes the gradual rise toward it.

peak

Peak is the top of any measure, whereas crescendo suggests sound or intensity growing steadily.

swell

Swell can describe a rise in sound but lacks the musical technicality of crescendo.

Opposites

Word family

crescendo verb

to grow gradually louder (rare)

decrescendo noun

a gradual drop in loudness

diminuendo noun

a gradual fall in volume

crescent noun

a curved moon shape, sharing the Latin root for growing

Commonly confused: crescendo or climax?

Practice

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