Synonyms of altitude

altitude

noun

ˈal-tə-ˌtüd 

1

as in elevation

the distance of something or someone from bottom to top

the altitude of the highest mountain in the U.S. is only about two thirds that of the highest mountain in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

• elevation
• height
• inches
• stature
• tallness
• rise
• highness
• loftiness

2

as in hill

usually altitudes plural an area of high ground

the air is thinner at higher altitudes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• elevation
• hill
• height
• mountain
• cliff
• ridge
• prominence
• highland
• upland
• eminence
• rise
• peak
• mound
• hump
• table
• plateau
• steep
• mount
• dome
• tableland
• mesa
• crag
• knoll
• foothill
• bluff
• butte
• alp
• tor
• precipice
• downs
• sierra
• knob
• hillock
• hummock
• sugarloaf

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lowland
• valley
• depression
• vale
• basin
• dell
• hollow
• dale
• glen
• bottom
• plain
• floodplain
• flat
• tidewater
• bottomland
• fen
• dingle

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun altitude contrast with its synonyms?

The words elevation and height are common synonyms of altitude. While all three words mean "vertical distance either between the top and bottom of something or between a base and something above it," altitude and elevation apply to height as measured by angular measurement or atmospheric pressure; altitude is preferable when referring to vertical distance above the surface of the earth or above sea level; elevation is used especially in reference to vertical height on land.

fly at an altitude of 10,000 meters

Denver is a city with a high elevation

When is height a more appropriate choice than altitude?

In some situations, the words height and altitude are roughly equivalent. However, height refers to something measured vertically whether high or low.

a wall two meters in height

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of altitude

Jansen, who has an atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), has skipped games in Colorado at other points in his career because pitching at high altitude could be an issue for him. —Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025

The $1,850 scarves start with 400 grams of raw cashmere sheared from the undercoat of high-altitude hircus goats. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2025

Doctors often call this feeling aural fullness or, when linked to altitude changes, barotrauma. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025

The helicopters both maneuvered to establish radio contact, but the Skycrane helicopter continued into the airspace around the fire at 4,000 feet altitude before they were given clearance to enter at a maximum altitude of 2,500 feet. —Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025