Illustration of pinnacle
- P pinnacle 1
pin·na·cle
ˈpi-ni-kəl 
1
: an upright architectural member generally ending in a small spire and used especially in Gothic construction to give weight especially to a buttress
2
: a structure or formation suggesting a pinnacle
specifically
: a lofty peak
3
: the highest point of development or achievement : acme
pinnacled; pinnacling
ˈpi-ni-k(ə-)liŋ
Did you know?
Pinnacle is one of several words that aspire to both literal and figurative heights. Others include summit, peak, climax, apex, acme, and culmination. All of these can refer to the highest point of a mountain or structure, or the highest point attained or attainable over a person's lifetime, career, etc. When referring to part of a building, pinnacle describes a projection on top of a tower (as on a Gothic cathedral). The word derives via Anglo-French from Late Latin pinnaculum, meaning "small wing," a diminutive of pinna, meaning "wing or battlement." When used figuratively, pinnacle sometimes implies a dizzying and insecure height, such as that brought on by unexpected fame.
Synonyms
Examples of pinnacle in a Sentence
Noun
a singer who has reached the pinnacle of success
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2024
Wilson’s sophomore album, 2005’s All Jacked Up, didn’t quite reach the same sales heights as her debut album, while the songs found more moderate success on radio (though the album, and 2007’s One of the Boys, both reached the pinnacle of Billboard’s top country albums chart).
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024
The chaos sparked when influencers learned there was an AI player in The Circle who appeared to be reaching a pinnacle.
—Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024
While the penthouse, which sits at the pinnacle of One Madison in Manhattan, is undoubtedly one of a kind, the price of the property attracts a very niche set of interested buyers.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024
Certified Public Accountants represent the pinnacle of the accounting profession, with a broad knowledge base in accounting, tax, and financial planning.
—Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Its pinnacle, Pandora — The World of Avatar, will impress Avatar film superfans and casual viewers alike.
—Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2024
To Japanese American fans and baseball historians, Ohtani’s career marks the pinnacle of a long history.
—Jill Cowan, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
It can be seen as a pinnacle of the network’s deflationary commitment, enshrined in computer code and executed mathematically, without any external control or intervention.
—Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2023
One father, two sons, all coaching their teams to pinnacle moments of their seasons.
—Matt Goul, cleveland, 19 Mar. 2021
At the start of 2015, Hollar's weight pinnacled at 678.
—Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, 4 Feb. 2018
Noun
Sitting at the pinnacle of business aviation alongside Bombardier’s Global 7500, the G700 has the most spacious cabin in the industry, according to Gulfstream.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2024
Wilson’s sophomore album, 2005’s All Jacked Up, didn’t quite reach the same sales heights as her debut album, while the songs found more moderate success on radio (though the album, and 2007’s One of the Boys, both reached the pinnacle of Billboard’s top country albums chart).
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024
The chaos sparked when influencers learned there was an AI player in The Circle who appeared to be reaching a pinnacle.
—Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024
While the penthouse, which sits at the pinnacle of One Madison in Manhattan, is undoubtedly one of a kind, the price of the property attracts a very niche set of interested buyers.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024
Certified Public Accountants represent the pinnacle of the accounting profession, with a broad knowledge base in accounting, tax, and financial planning.
—Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Its pinnacle, Pandora — The World of Avatar, will impress Avatar film superfans and casual viewers alike.
—Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2024
To Japanese American fans and baseball historians, Ohtani’s career marks the pinnacle of a long history.
—Jill Cowan, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
It can be seen as a pinnacle of the network’s deflationary commitment, enshrined in computer code and executed mathematically, without any external control or intervention.
—Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Verb
Mark Margolis, the longtime character actor whose career pinnacled with unforgettable arcs on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has died at the age of 83.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2023
One father, two sons, all coaching their teams to pinnacle moments of their seasons.
—Matt Goul, cleveland, 19 Mar. 2021
At the start of 2015, Hollar's weight pinnacled at 678.
—Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, 4 Feb. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pinnacle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pinnacle
Cite this Entry
“Pinnacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinnacle. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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