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- apogee 1
apogee
noun
apo·gee
ˈa-pə-(ˌ)jē 
1
: the point in the orbit of an object (such as a satellite) orbiting the earth that is at the greatest distance from the center of the earth
also
: the point farthest from a planet or a satellite (such as the moon) reached by an object orbiting it compare perigee
2
: the farthest or highest point : culmination
Aegean civilization reached its apogee in Crete.
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Of Apogees, Climaxes, and Culminations
Apogee is often used in its figurative sense, signifying the high point of a career, endeavor, or state (“she was at the apogee of her profession”). This meaning developed as a metaphorical extension of the word’s astronomical sense, denoting the farthest distance from earth of an object orbiting the planet.
A number of other English words that are synonymous with apogee have followed a similar path of figurative development from a technical meaning. Climax (“the most interesting and exciting part of something”) came into English as a term for a series of phrases arranged in ascending order of rhetorical forcefulness. And, very much like apogee, culmination (“the final result of something”) is also rooted in astronomy: it originally referred to the highest point a celestial body reaches in its daily revolution (for example, the sun’s height at noon).
Examples of apogee in a Sentence
shag carpeting reached the apogee of its popularity in the 1970s but is now considered outdated
Recent Examples on the Web
The two burns are called perigee and apogee burns, which help Orion reach high Earth orbit, where astronauts spend most of their first day in space.
—
Briana Alvarado, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Next up will be the perigee raise maneuver and apogee raise burn that will increase the lowest and highest points of Orion’s orbit.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
Almost two hours after liftoff, the interim cryogenic propulsion stage engine fired again, this time for about 18 minutes, raising the high point, or apogee, of the orbit to 43,760 miles — higher than any astronauts have flown since the final Apollo moon mission in 1972.
—Miles Doran, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Within about 50 minutes, Orion will reach the highest point of its early sub-orbital trajectory, known as apogee.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for apogee
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Briana Alvarado, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Next up will be the perigee raise maneuver and apogee raise burn that will increase the lowest and highest points of Orion’s orbit.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
Almost two hours after liftoff, the interim cryogenic propulsion stage engine fired again, this time for about 18 minutes, raising the high point, or apogee, of the orbit to 43,760 miles — higher than any astronauts have flown since the final Apollo moon mission in 1972.
—Miles Doran, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Within about 50 minutes, Orion will reach the highest point of its early sub-orbital trajectory, known as apogee.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for apogee
Cite this Entry
“Apogee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apogee. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
apogee
noun
apo·gee
ˈap-ə-(ˌ)jē
: the point farthest from the center of a heavenly body (as the earth or the moon) reached by an object (as a satellite) orbiting it compare perigee
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