high-water mark

noun

Definition of high-water marknext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of high-water mark 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 The Weeknd reached a new high-water mark on Spotify this week. — Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 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
  1. pinnacle
  2. top
  3. zenith
  4. height
  5. culmination
  6. peak
  7. apex
Noun
  • Reid’s constancy is one of the gifts that has led him to the pinnacle of the NFL as the fourth-winningest coach in league history.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • The Big Ten, the pinnacle of competition, sounded like a distant dream.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of pinnacle
Noun
  • That jumps from his previous $45 million average and pushes him to the top of the quarterback market.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • Getting those numbers near the top of the list is a point of emphasis for this year's team.
    — Alex Wilcox, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of top
Noun
  • Civilizations could have risen to their zenith and crumbled in the time our micrometeoroid spent traversing the unfeeling expanse of interplanetary space, but its demise lasted but a fraction of a second.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 July 2026
  • There was a time when the odd chart slot and a feature on the soundtrack of the latest FIFA game would mark the mainstream zenith of a breakthrough junglist.
    — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Definition of zenith
Noun
  • The aluminum body is strong enough to withstand drops from average heights.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 27 July 2026
  • At its height, the town even boasted a hospital, ballroom, ice factory, and the southern hemisphere’s first x-ray machine.
    — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026
Definition of height
Noun
  • The Ducks and Lanning have been an absolute Death Star on the recruiting trail, and this season could be the culmination in all that hard work on the talent acquisition front.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
  • The surprise Bon Jovi appearance at Madison Square Garden was the culmination of a very busy weekend for Springsteen.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 July 2026
Definition of culmination
Noun
  • Purja set off on his record-breaking summit of the world’s 14 highest peaks in April 2019, finishing 189 days later in October, smashing a record set by South Korean Kim Chang-ho in 2013 – by more than seven years.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • The city's local Democratic lawmakers claim that the tough-on-crime policies only temporarily reduced crime while troop presence was at its peak.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of peak
Noun
  • Having entered the industry as a starlet in 2018, Willis had reached its apex in less than three years — and was already looking past the glass ceiling that separates adult performers from mainstream recognition.
    — Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
  • These apex predators are fearsome hunters who employ diverse strategies and work collaboratively when tracking down a meal.
    — Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Definition of apex

Browse Nearby Words

high-voltage
high-water mark
high-water marks
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Cite this Entry

“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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