HIGH-WATER MARK Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

high-water mark

noun

Definition of high-water mark

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 In Paso Robles, dozens of makeshift encampments sprang up along roadways, above the Salinas’ high-water mark. — Jeremy Miller, WIRED, 18 Feb. 2023 In December, Texas had just over a million job openings, a high-water mark it’s been hovering around for several months. — Mitchell Schnurman, Dallas News, 17 Mar. 2023 The film, in which Topol was cast as a Mexican, was nobody’s creative high-water mark — but left no permanent damage on Topol’s career. — Carmel Dagan, Variety, 8 Mar. 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 With the swearing-in of Jennifer McClellan as the first Black woman to represent Virginia on Tuesday, the House now has 28 Black women in its ranks, a new high-water mark, but the Senate has none. — Jazmine Ulloa, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-water mark

Noun

Youngsters romped through the crowd, happily indulging in eggthrowing or dunking-machine antics or trying to climb to the pinnacle of a greased pole, where a $20 bill waited.

— Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2026
But decades before industrial America transformed global horology in the latter half of the 19th century, the Founding Fathers lived in a world where mechanical timekeeping represented the pinnacle of craftsmanship, technology, and taste.

— Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 3 July 2026

Definition of pinnacle

Noun

The matter was not on the city’s agenda but was brought on as a walk-on item at the top of the meeting.

— Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
On the subsequent rebound, the ball found Kovačić at the top of the box, but his right-footed volley was barely deflected over the net by Diogo Costa.

— Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026

Definition of top

Noun

But at its zenith, the location attracted the global A-list and fashion crowd, both within its rooms and food and beverage spaces, before the arrival of social media.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 2 July 2026
Instead, all of those previous experiments have culminated in Messi's World Cup zenith now.

— Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Definition of zenith

Noun

In one photo, Kate drapes an arm around George, who is now almost her height (the future king turns 13 later this month).

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Mixing knits with leather creates texture and contrast in the outfit, while the height and simplicity of these solid-color boots helps ground the overall look.

— Abby Morgan Lebet, Glamour, 6 July 2026

Definition of height

Noun

Gaines said the decision felt like the culmination of the last several years of her life, but also a reminder of how far the debate had moved.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Tuesday’s demonstrations, which were organized in part by the March and March civic organization, were the culmination of protests beginning in April.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 1 July 2026

Definition of culmination

Noun

The last time that ratio ranged so high was in the mid-2000s, at the peak of the millennial housing bubble, Pew reports.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 July 2026
The weather service said peak heat indexes, which combine air temperature with humidity, of up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit were possible.

— Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Definition of peak

Noun

Sertraline, being lipid-soluble, accumulates in the marine food chain, eventually reaching apex predators like sharks.

— Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Matthews works for Florida Shark Diving, one of several shark charter companies in southeast Florida that promise up-close encounters with some of the state’s apex predators.

— Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Definition of apex

Browse Nearby Words

high-voltage

high-water mark

high-water marks

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“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of high-water mark

noun

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