anticlimax
Meaning: A disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events; a sudden drop from the important to the trivial.
Anticlimax describes the deflating experience when something builds up expectations only to fail to deliver. In rhetoric and literature it can be used deliberately for comic effect (bathos), but in general usage it denotes a genuine letdown. It is common in sporting, media, and everyday contexts. Common collocations include 'something of an anticlimax,' 'a bit of an anticlimax,' 'end in anticlimax,' and 'prove an anticlimax.'
Examples
- After all the build-up, the final episode of the series proved something of an anticlimax. 经过所有的宣传造势,那部剧集的最终集不免有些虎头蛇尾。Tras toda la expectación, el último episodio de la serie resultó ser un tanto anticlimático.あれほど盛り上がった割に、そのシリーズの最終話はやや肩透かしに終わった。그토록 기대를 모은 것치고, 그 시리즈의 마지막 회는 다소 김이 빠지는 결과였다.
- The much-anticipated derby ended in a goalless draw — a damp anticlimax for both sets of supporters. 万众瞩目的同城德比以零比零收场——对双方球迷来说都是扫兴的结局。El esperadísimo derbi acabó en empate sin goles, un decepcionante anticlímax para ambas aficiones.待望のダービーマッチはスコアレスドローに終わり、両チームのサポーターにとって拍子抜けの結果となった。많은 기대를 받던 더비 경기는 무득점 무승부로 끝났고, 양 팀 팬들에게는 허탈한 결과였다.
- The announcement, when it finally came, was a bit of an anticlimax: a minor reshuffle rather than the sweeping changes predicted. 公告最终揭晓时不免令人失望:不过是小规模的人事调整,而非预期中的大刀阔斧改革。El anuncio, cuando por fin llegó, fue un tanto anticlimático: una remodelación menor en lugar de los cambios radicales que se habían pronosticado.ようやく届いた発表は少々期待外れだった――予想されていた大幅な改革ではなく、小規模な内閣改造にとどまった。마침내 나온 발표는 다소 기대에 못 미쳤다 — 예상되었던 대대적인 개편이 아닌 소규모 인사이동에 불과했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: media, general, literary
Tone: negative
Origin & History
Formed in English from anti- (against, opposite) + climax. First used in the eighteenth century in rhetorical contexts to describe a descent from the elevated to the commonplace, often for comic effect.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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