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
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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
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
Founded in Geneva in 1918, Baume & Mercier has produced high-quality luxury timepieces for more than a century and represents the pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024
The pinnacle of college basketball season is finally here as March Madness kicks off this month.
—Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
This first sequel is arguably the series’ pinnacle, crafting a thrilling quest for revenge and redemption.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024
The nine-county region is 62,000 jobs short of its employment pinnacle in February 2020.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
Setting the date sooner could rekindle the magic, ensuring the Oscars are the pinnacle of the season rather than its weary conclusion.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 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
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
Founded in Geneva in 1918, Baume & Mercier has produced high-quality luxury timepieces for more than a century and represents the pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024
The pinnacle of college basketball season is finally here as March Madness kicks off this month.
—Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
This first sequel is arguably the series’ pinnacle, crafting a thrilling quest for revenge and redemption.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024
The nine-county region is 62,000 jobs short of its employment pinnacle in February 2020.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
Setting the date sooner could rekindle the magic, ensuring the Oscars are the pinnacle of the season rather than its weary conclusion.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 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 23 Apr. 2024.
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