anticlimax

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a disappointing or unimportant ending after a buildup that created expectations of something exciting or impressive

   After months of publicity, the brief announcement felt like an anticlimax.

2. 2
   noun

   a rhetorical descent from a serious or impressive idea to a trivial or weaker one

   The speech moved from justice and liberty to parking permits in an unintended anticlimax.

Formed from anti- ("opposite, against") + climax. Climax comes through Late Latin from Greek klimax ("ladder"), which produced the rhetorical image of ideas rising step by step; an anticlimax reverses that ascent or fails to complete it.

Topics

External links

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