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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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

Noun

By Christmas it had been canonized as the pinnacle of ‘sad girl lit’ with Martha taking her place in that post-Fleabag lineage of fractured female characters.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
Researchers told me that many Democrats believe that the pinnacle of achievement is having a good education and a fruitful career.

— Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of pinnacle

Noun

Around the time the body was disposed of, Lake Mead was nearing its zenith.

— Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Despite Villa reaching their zenith under Emery in May, there was a growing argument to undergo a stable transitional phase, providing youthful impetus and appearing proactive, rather than reactive, in lowering the age of the squad.

— Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of zenith

Noun

The zoning change would be necessary to build a development of that scale because local zoning guidelines for the downtown area cap building heights at four stories.

— Alexandra Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Now, 15 years later, Cook has catapulted the company to stratospheric heights by forging his own path.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of height

Noun

While mega-cap pharma companies typically look to invest in assets that offer peak sales in the billions of dollars, Gayer has smaller targets in mind.

— Brad Quick, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Up to half of the more than 200,000 mountain glaciers — vast, slow moving rivers of ice that creep across the world’s peaks — are expected to disappear by the end of this century, even if ambitious climate goals are met.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of peak

Noun

But OpenAI’s investigation found, according to the report, that the heart of the attack began on July 8, and reached its apex between July 11 and July 13.

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Tottenham were outfought and outplayed by a Brentford side who, after an outstanding season last year, may have hit a new apex.

— Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of high-water mark

noun

Example Sentences

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