plateau

noun pla·teau \ pla-ˈtō , ˈpla-ˌtō \

Updated on: 14 May 2018

Definition of plateau

plural plateaus also plateaux play \pla-ˈtōz, ˈpla-ˌtōz\

1 a : a usually extensive land area having a relatively level surface raised sharply above adjacent land on at least one side : tableland

b : a similar undersea feature

2 a : a region of little or no change in a graphic representation

b : a relatively stable level, period, or condition

3 : a level of attainment or achievement

the 500-point plateau

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See plateau defined for kids

Examples of plateau in a Sentence

a plateau covering hundreds of miles
The price of gas seems to have reached a plateau.

Recent Examples of plateau from the Web

With 40 goals and 33 assists this spring, Kelly joined Rambo as the only players in program history to reach the 40-30 plateau in a single season.

— edward lee, baltimoresun.com, "Loyola Maryland’s Pat Spencer, Maryland’s Connor Kelly among men's Tewaaraton Award finalists," 11 May 2018
Arciuolo reached the milestone less than a week after teammate Kevin Radziewicz also hit the 200-hit plateau.

— courant.com, "Regional Digest: Bees Fall To 0-5 At Sugar Land," 1 May 2018
The Justice Foundation is the next plateau in superheroics, to me.

— graeme mcmillan, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Justice League of America' Writer Dissects a Year of Storytelling," 27 Apr. 2018
And fourth at Boston, 2:25, is a totally fine place to plateau.

— mark dunphy, BostonGlobe.com, "Is it Des, Desi, or Desiree Linden? Meet the Boston Marathon champ," 16 Apr. 2018
Evans had led the Bucs in receiving in each of his four seasons in the NFL, crossing the 1,000-yard plateau in all four years.

— dan gartland, SI.com, "Reports: Mike Evans Agrees to Five-Year Contract Extension With Buccaneers," 9 Mar. 2018
Hasn’t yet reached the 30-homer plateau in a season.

— ted berg, For The Win, "Who is the second best player in Major League Baseball?," 26 Apr. 2018
But the 2017 World Malaria Report showed a plateau in global cases for the first time since the start of the decline, and even noted increases in regions like Southern Africa.

— erin m. stuckey, Time, "How to Wipe Out Malaria for Good," 25 Apr. 2018
Kentucky probably needs another 1,000-yard season from Snell to break through the seven-win plateau, but if Rose can help coaches manage Snell’s workload early in the season that’s good for everyone.

— jon hale, The Courier-Journal, "UK Mailbag: What's next in Kentucky basketball recruiting? What did we learn in spring practice?," 18 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plateau.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of plateau

French, from Middle French, platter, from plat flat

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First Known Use: 1743

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

plateau Synonyms

Synonyms

mesa, table, tableland;

Related Words

butte, dome, height, highland, upland;

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

plateau

verb

Definition of plateau

intransitive verb

: to reach a level, period, or condition of stability or maximum attainment

See plateau defined for English-language learners

Examples of plateau in a Sentence

Sales of computers have plateaued in recent years.

Recent Examples of plateau from the Web

Donations progressively increased since Big Day of Giving's founding in 2013 before plateauing at just over $7 million last year.

— benjy egel, sacbee, "Thursday is Sacramento's Big Day of Giving. Here's what you need to know | The Sacramento Bee," 3 May 2018
Retail sales have fallen for three straight months, construction spending decelerated at the start of the year, and auto sales have largely plateaued.

— tory newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Mixed messages on what Trump dubs 'stupid trade'," 9 Apr. 2018
Electric-vehicles sales hit a record last year, climbing even as sales across the industry plateaued.

— timothy puko, WSJ, "EPA Chief Echoes Car Makers on Plan to Scrap Fuel Standards," 3 Apr. 2018
After plateauing the past couple months, mortgage rates are once again headed higher.

— kathy orton, chicagotribune.com, "Mortgage rates haven't been this high since 2013," 26 Apr. 2018
After plateauing the past couple months, mortgage rates are once again headed higher.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "Mortgage rates haven't been this high since 2013," 26 Apr. 2018
The past two decades in higher education have been about expansion as the percentage of high school graduates going to college has increased even when high school enrollments plateaued.

— jeffrey j. selingo, Washington Post, "Higher education is headed for a supply and demand crisis," 28 Jan. 2018
Conway said that there is some indication that the national overdose death numbers could plateau in 2017, but said the administration would not know for months.

— dan merica, CNN, "Trump administration worries opioid crisis could 'get worse'," 14 Apr. 2018
To back up: Autism rates have risen sharply over the past several decades (though are possibly plateauing).

— laura sanders, Washington Post, "A new study eases fears of a link between autism and prenatal ultrasounds," 26 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of plateau

1939

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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PLATEAU Defined for English Language Learners

plateau

noun

Definition of plateau for English Language Learners

: a large flat area of land that is higher than other areas of land that surround it
: a period when something does not increase or advance any further