anticlimax
/ˌæntiˈklaɪmæks/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌæntiˈklaɪmæks/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌan-tē-ˈklī-ˌmaks How to pronounce anticlimax (audio) ˌan-ˌtī- How to pronounce anticlimax (audio)/ (ame, mw)
anticlimax — noun
1. a disappointing moment or result that feels flat because people hoped for someth
a disappointing moment or result that feels flat because people hoped for something bigger, or because a stronger event has just happened
After weeks of ads, the phone launch felt like an anticlimax.
feel like an anticlimax after heavy build-up
Tunde expected cheers, but the quiet medal ceremony was an anticlimax.
contrast: high expectation versus flat event
For many fans, winning by one point seemed an anticlimax.
The last fireworks show ended in anticlimax when the rain started.
Months of planning led to an anticlimax when only six guests came.
- letdown
the closest everyday synonym, but it does not always imply a rise in excitement first
- disappointment
broader and can describe any unhappy result, even without contrast
- comedown
often stresses a fall from a high point or successful period
- climax
the most exciting or important point, rather than a flat letdown
文法句型
an anticlimax
feel like an anticlimax
seem an anticlimax
end in anticlimax
用法筆記
Usually describes a letdown created by contrast: expectations rise first, or a stronger moment comes immediately before it. It often follows verbs such as feel, seem, or prove.
常見錯誤
2. a sudden drop in a story, speech, or joke from something important or serious to
a sudden drop in a story, speech, or joke from something important or serious to something trivial, flat, or silly
The speech ended with an anticlimax when Hugo thanked the hotel parking team.
grand speech drops to trivial detail
In the film, the final battle ends in anticlimax over a broken microphone.
dramatic scene collapses into a minor problem
Selim laughed at the anticlimax when the mystery letter contained a grocery list.
The joke's anticlimax comes after a long setup about saving the world.
Critics called it an anticlimax when the hero ended the speech with weather talk.
- bathos
more formal and often used for a comic fall from the noble to the absurd
- letdown
can describe the audience's reaction, but not always the structural drop inside the wording
- tonal shift
broader because the tone can change in any direction, not only downward
- climax
the moment when the story or speech reaches its highest force
文法句型
an anticlimax in the story
end with an anticlimax
create an anticlimax
the anticlimax comes when ...
用法筆記
This sense is common when discussing stories, speeches, jokes, or scenes with deliberate structure. It highlights a sudden drop in importance or tone, not simply a quiet or sad ending.