Crescendo: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Crescendo noun. A steady build in loudness or intensity, in music or in life.
How to say it
krih-SHEN-doh/krɪˈʃɛndəʊ/
3 syllables, stressed on the second (SHEN).
Crescendo in a sentence
The drums swell into a crescendo before the whole band suddenly drops out.
Complaints about the new car park rose in a steady crescendo all week.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- build-up
- swell
- surge
Opposite:
- diminuendo
- decrescendo
Where crescendo comes from
Italian for growing, from Latin crescere, to grow.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Complaints about the new car park rose in a steady _____ all week.
- coda
- jolie laide
- crescendo
Show the answer
crescendo: Complaints about the new car park rose in a steady crescendo all week.