as in pinnacle
the highest part or point
he hit the high-water mark of his acting career when he played Tiny Tim in a school play
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Recent Examples of high-water mark
The Weeknd reached a new high-water mark on Spotify this week.
—
Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2023
How San Francisco settles the debate could reverberate throughout the reparations movement, setting a high-water mark for an effort that has been criticized for, so far, producing small sums.
—Emmanuel Felton, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
This year’s crop of competitors is a far cry from recent years when the starting roster has approached triple digits, hitting a high-water mark of 96 mushers in 2008 (though a more modest number, 78, crossed the finish line).
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Feb. 2023
In Paso Robles, dozens of makeshift encampments sprang up along roadways, above the Salinas’ high-water mark.
—Jeremy Miller, WIRED, 18 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for high-water mark
Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2023
How San Francisco settles the debate could reverberate throughout the reparations movement, setting a high-water mark for an effort that has been criticized for, so far, producing small sums.
—Emmanuel Felton, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
This year’s crop of competitors is a far cry from recent years when the starting roster has approached triple digits, hitting a high-water mark of 96 mushers in 2008 (though a more modest number, 78, crossed the finish line).
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Feb. 2023
In Paso Robles, dozens of makeshift encampments sprang up along roadways, above the Salinas’ high-water mark.
—Jeremy Miller, WIRED, 18 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for high-water mark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-water mark
Noun
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This year your creativity, zest and desire for life are at a pinnacle.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
17 Mar. 2026
-
It was transformed into a 125-unit luxury condo by 2002, the pinnacle of which is a quadplex with an 80-foot stainless-steel slide, a rock wall, and a rope swing.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And how about the 2006 final when Palo Alto stunned Mater Dei 51-47 in Division II in which Jeremy Lin made a 25-foot bank shot from the top of the key.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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His cold-blooded 3-pointer from well beyond the top of the key gave his team the lead in an 8-0 run.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This cycle has reached its zenith in Netanyahu’s latest and greatest gamble.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
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This electrifying combo of documentary and concert film showcases the King of Rock 'n' Roll at his creative zenith during his 1970s Las Vegas residency and early '70s tours, and more importantly showcases Presley in all of his jumpsuited splendor, as both cultural icon and cool guy.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The hope for this team was that Peterson could carry KU’s offense to new heights, particularly in the postseason.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
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Wordless electronic lounge music pulses over the speakers, hanging well above the dining room from a triple-height ceiling.—
Henri Hollis,
AJC.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As Joachim Trier stood on the Dolby Theatre stage, clutching Norway’s first Academy Award, the moment marked the culmination of a decades-long national project — built patiently, deliberately and with oil money turned into cultural capital.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
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The game was the culmination of a weekend’s worth of events.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Chance of lightning increases as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is overhead.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
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In 2025, Baltimore's cherry blossoms reached peak bloom between March 30 and April 2, though the period was cut short due to severe storms.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In New York City, the collapse hasn’t been so dire; production has reached roughly 50 percent of its mid-2000s apex, according to one analysis.—
M. Nolan Gray,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
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Wallace's murder shocked viewers and served as the emotional apex of the show's first season, thanks to Jordan's moving performance.—
Ken Simmons,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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