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anticlimax

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The definition of 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 defined as something which turns out to be far less meaningful or exciting than it was built up to be.

(noun)

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

noun

a sudden drop from the dignified or important in thought or expression to the commonplace or trivial, sometimes for humorous effect
a descent, as in a series of events, which is in ludicrous or disappointing contrast to a preceding rise

See anticlimax in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A decline viewed in disappointing contrast with a previous rise: the anticlimax of a brilliant career.
Something trivial or commonplace that concludes a series of significant events: After a week of dramatic negotiations, all that followed was anticlimax.
A sudden descent in speaking or writing from the impressive or significant to the ludicrous or inconsequential, or an instance of it: “Waggish non-Yale men never seem weary of calling ‘for God, for Country and for Yale’ the outstanding single anticlimax in the English language” (Time).

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