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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

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of altitude At an altitude of 625 kilometers, an 18-meter reflector — even if optimally curved to focus that light down onto the Earth’s surface — would create a spot of light just-under 6 km across on Earth’s surface. Big Think, 15 Oct. 2025 Dubbed Lago Lomita, the singular estate is perched at an altitude of 2,600 feet on a sunny saddle overlooking Monterey Bay. David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2025 The sprawling spa offers high-altitude adjustment treatments, plus steam rooms, saunas, indoor and outdoor pools, and hot tubs. Adam H. Graham, AFAR Media, 14 Oct. 2025 Once in low-Earth orbit – an altitude low enough to allow for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly – the satellites will provide global military tactical communication and missile defense. Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for altitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altitude
Noun
  • Precipitation will fall as heavy rain for lower elevations, whereas heavy snow is expected for higher elevations.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
  • High elevation areas should prepare for snow in early December and January.
    Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Flip invented the Wheezer Scale for gauging the difficulty of hiking up hills.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Eventually, Anaver's home came to a stop after colliding with a small hill that had a board sticking out of it a few feet away from the river, according to the AP.
    Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Barcelona used a mix of zonal and man-marking but struggled when teams exploited their comparalative lack of height and physicality by using players in motion.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • These ones have a lug sole that offers extra height and more room for cushioned support.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Altitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altitude. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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