adv · noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/kɹɪˈʃɛn.dəʊ/
Received-Pronunciation:/kɹəˈʃɛn.dəʊ/
General-American:/kɹɪˈʃɛn.doʊ/
General-American:/kɹəˈʃɛn.doʊ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:K R IH0 SH EH1 N D OW0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Gradually increasing in force or loudness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < ), by musicians called a hairpin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A gradual increase of anything, especially to a dramatic climax.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Examples
Their fighting rose in a fearsome crescendo.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The climax of a gradual increase.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, nonstandard
Examples
Their arguing rose to a fearsome crescendo.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To increase in intensity; to reach or head for a crescendo.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The band crescendoed and then suddenly went silent.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
gradually increasing in volume
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
(music) a gradual increase in loudness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: volume, loudness, intensity
Narrower terms: swell
8
verb
Meaning 8
grow louder
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The music crescendoes here
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: decrescendo
Broader terms: increase
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian crescendo, gerund of crescere (“to grow, to increase”).
Across languages
Translations
28 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
кресчендо
(kresčendo)
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Chinese Mandarin:
漸強 /渐强
(jiànqiáng)
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Czech:
crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Finnish:
crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Galician:
crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
German:
Crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Italian:
crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Japanese:
クレッシェンド
(kuresshendo)
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Korean:
크레셴도
(keuresyendo)
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Latin:
crēscēns
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Macedonian:
крешендо
(krešendo)
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Polish:
crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Portuguese:
crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Russian:
креще́ндо
(kreščéndo)
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Serbo-Croatian:
крешендо
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Serbo-Croatian:
krešendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Spanish:
crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Swedish:
crescendo
— music: instruction to play gradually more loudly
Finnish:
kasvu
— figuratively: gradual increase
French:
aller crescendo
— figuratively: gradual increase
