1
as in pinnacle
the highest part or point
the acme of their basketball season was their hard-won victory over last year's state champs
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2
as in apotheosis
the most perfect type or example
a movie that has come to be regarded as the acme of the Hollywood musical
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Recent Examples of acme
By 1998, when Lewis H. Lapham filed two reports on the WEF for this magazine, globalization and its political sister, Third Way politics, were at their acme.
—
Caitlín Doherty, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The sentence on Cafe Kestrel’s menu is the battle cry of the heroic rabbit Bigwig, shouted in righteous rage at the leader of the enemy tribe of rabbits, at the acme of the story’s great climactic battle.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2024
The Dior headquarters on the Avenue Montaigne, where the house’s presentations unfolded, were a polished foil to his clothes: gray rooms that were the acme of Belle Époque chic.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2024
Liang’s political writings reached something of a creative acme in exile, where he was energized by Japanese intellectuals and their bountiful translations of Western texts.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 30 July 2024
The Iraq war, which began 20 years ago, represents the acme of American military folly—second only to the Vietnam War.
—Andrew J. Bacevich, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023
This is the acme of the true fantasy—not attracting a young man with chiseled cheekbones, perfect teeth, and the ability to wear a thick cardigan on a very hot day without even a bead of sweat—but actually being noticed.
—Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 1 May 2024
Compared to previous off-year elections with the same types of races on the ballot, Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all had their highest turnout since at least 2011, and Kentucky and Virginia came very close to matching their turnout acmes from 2019.
—Tia Yang, ABC News, 21 Dec. 2023
Instead, Trump best serves as a sort of touchstone for understanding McMahon’s particular vein of post-truth, and the acme of society’s larger embrace of the same.
—Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023
Caitlín Doherty, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The sentence on Cafe Kestrel’s menu is the battle cry of the heroic rabbit Bigwig, shouted in righteous rage at the leader of the enemy tribe of rabbits, at the acme of the story’s great climactic battle.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2024
The Dior headquarters on the Avenue Montaigne, where the house’s presentations unfolded, were a polished foil to his clothes: gray rooms that were the acme of Belle Époque chic.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2024
Liang’s political writings reached something of a creative acme in exile, where he was energized by Japanese intellectuals and their bountiful translations of Western texts.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 30 July 2024
The Iraq war, which began 20 years ago, represents the acme of American military folly—second only to the Vietnam War.
—Andrew J. Bacevich, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023
This is the acme of the true fantasy—not attracting a young man with chiseled cheekbones, perfect teeth, and the ability to wear a thick cardigan on a very hot day without even a bead of sweat—but actually being noticed.
—Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 1 May 2024
Compared to previous off-year elections with the same types of races on the ballot, Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all had their highest turnout since at least 2011, and Kentucky and Virginia came very close to matching their turnout acmes from 2019.
—Tia Yang, ABC News, 21 Dec. 2023
Instead, Trump best serves as a sort of touchstone for understanding McMahon’s particular vein of post-truth, and the acme of society’s larger embrace of the same.
—Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acme
Noun
-
The new Compton High School, which will open this fall, stands as a pinnacle example: Teachers will not have their own classrooms — but will conduct classes in various spaces depending on topic and availability.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2025
-
However, Stone’s stand at the Woodstock Art & Music Festival in Bethel, N.Y., that August marked what was probably the triumphant pinnacle of the group’s career.—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Trump and conservatives, overall, are obsessed with tarring California — to them, the apotheosis of liberalism — as a violent, lawless, anti-American hellscape.—
Max Taves,
Mercury News,
11 June 2025
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A bit later, Federer and Nadal and Djokovic took over, and people thought that was the game’s apotheosis.—
Thomas Swick,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2025
Noun
-
Valerie Mahaffey, who reached a career zenith in 1992 with an Emmy win for Best Supporting actress in a Drama Series for Northern Exposure, died on May 30 after losing her battle with cancer.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
My disappointment at just missing the zenith of this color riot is quickly replaced by a strongly sweet aroma that floods my nose while passing through Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort’s imposing entrance.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Instead of pursuing impossible perfection, organizations should design for resilience — systems that degrade gracefully under stress and recover quickly from failures.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
Craft beer has achieved a state of perfection, with all sub-standard brews banished.—
Peter Rowe,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
Originally approved by the Florida Legislature in 2023, the Live Local Act allows mixed-use projects in commercial and industrial districts to exceed limits on local density and height zoning rules so long as developers set aside 40 percent of residential units for workforce housing.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
-
The attack comes as tensions have reached new heights over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.—
Jon Gambrell,
Christian Science Monitor,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
Guests can float between two outdoor pools—one a heated classic, the other a saltwater pool carved right into the rocks—or enjoy Mediterranean dishes at the hotel’s two restaurants, Récif and the new Estelo (formerly known as La Plage) and new bar, La Chicoula (formerly known as La Cabane).—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
8 June 2025
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Sculptural and high-shine, the boots anchored Hilton’s set in her classic, footwear-forward approach to stagewear — a consistent theme across her Pride Month.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
Still, another factor should always rise to the top of the list: relationships.—
Shirin Ali,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
The rubber dots and grips on the top and bottom of the stool provide extra stability, giving me peace of mind.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
For those seeking extra space and seclusion, the Adobe House, just steps away from the main hotel, offers a quiet sanctuary ideal for families or groups.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2025
-
Even Johnson’s supporters may struggle to square this proposal with his progressive ideals.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Acme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acme. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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