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

Locals such as Dominio de Atauta winemaker Jaime Suárez call Tempranillo tinto fino (fine red) or tinta del pais (red of the country) to differentiate it from the same grape grown elsewhere in the country, as it is said to have mutated due to the region’s altitude, climate, and soils. —Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2025

The altitude is low enough to allow for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly. —Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025

Large flocks of birds — or swarms of bats or insects — at the right altitude and speed reflect enough energy to appear on radar much like a storm. —Brandi D. Addison, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025

With low-light pollution and high altitudes, the observatory offers visitors the chance to view pristine night skies, sometimes including the Northern Lights, from its roll-off roof. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025