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

The are headed to medium-Earth orbit at about 5,000 miles altitude. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026

The military site was built during the Cold War, before the wildlife refuge existed, to house missiles designed to shoot down high-altitude bombers on their way from Cuba. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026

The warheads burst open at high altitudes, scattering dozens of smaller bomblets across a wide area that are difficult to intercept. —ABC News, 19 Apr. 2026

Glasnow dealt with Friday’s elements – both the cold and the altitude that threatens to flatten out any pitch mix – just fine. —Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026