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anticlimax

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Anticlimax is written or verbal communication which starts with a dignified or meaningful idea, but takes a sudden turn into a commonplace, stupid or ridiculous idea. (noun)

An example of anticlimax is a speech by a presidential candidate who begins discussing the need for affordable health care, and then ends with suggesting the way to do so is to have people eat a clove of garlic a day to prevent illness and make scientists come up with a cure for the common cold.

Anticlimax is something which turns out to be far less meaningful or exciting than it was built up to be. ()

An example of anticlimax is a concert that turns out to be far less wild and exciting than all the advertising made it appear.

See anticlimax in Webster's New World College Dictionary

See anticlimax in American Heritage Dictionary 4