as in pinnacle
the highest part or point
he hit the high-water mark of his acting career when he played Tiny Tim in a school play
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Recent Examples of high-water mark
The Weeknd reached a new high-water mark on Spotify this week.
—
Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2023
How San Francisco settles the debate could reverberate throughout the reparations movement, setting a high-water mark for an effort that has been criticized for, so far, producing small sums.
—Emmanuel Felton, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
This year’s crop of competitors is a far cry from recent years when the starting roster has approached triple digits, hitting a high-water mark of 96 mushers in 2008 (though a more modest number, 78, crossed the finish line).
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Feb. 2023
In Paso Robles, dozens of makeshift encampments sprang up along roadways, above the Salinas’ high-water mark.
—Jeremy Miller, WIRED, 18 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for high-water mark
Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2023
How San Francisco settles the debate could reverberate throughout the reparations movement, setting a high-water mark for an effort that has been criticized for, so far, producing small sums.
—Emmanuel Felton, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
This year’s crop of competitors is a far cry from recent years when the starting roster has approached triple digits, hitting a high-water mark of 96 mushers in 2008 (though a more modest number, 78, crossed the finish line).
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Feb. 2023
In Paso Robles, dozens of makeshift encampments sprang up along roadways, above the Salinas’ high-water mark.
—Jeremy Miller, WIRED, 18 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for high-water mark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-water mark
Noun
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But his chapter in the pinnacle of motorsport ended with less success, his final win coming in 2012 with McLaren.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
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The son of former University of Pittsburgh and USC coach Paul Hackett had worked his whole life to get to the pinnacle of his business, and failed massively.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The 24-year-old skier, competing in his first Olympics, held the top of the podium for most of the final at Stelvio Ski Center in Bormio on Saturday morning.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
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No matter what is in the training sessions or policy manual, Stoughton said the most powerful message officers receive is from the top.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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During her three decades at the family business, Donatella Versace took this philosophy to its zenith, pairing outrageous designs with just the right celebrity, to proclaim that a plunging neckline, or a sparkly jumpsuit, was a statement of empowerment.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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States Are Taking Control From Markets As an economist, Fatih Birol underlines that the era of open, supply-and-demand energy markets, which found its zenith in the 1990s and 2000s, is effectively over.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The ball of the shoe to the heel has a tapered height, with the heel reaching three inches for a little extra thickness.—
Olivia Dubyak,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
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Yabusele is a 6-foot-7 forward who makes up for a slight lack of height with a powerful frame and aggressive approach around the basket.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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For Morgan, her win is a culmination of an epic comeback from injury that kept her out most of the second half of 2025.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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If Lola Heatherton anticipated every O’Hara artist character to come, the show’s matriarch, Moira Rose, represents their apex and culmination.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The airline will offer a total of seven peak daily flights to its third-largest hub, the Enquirer previously reported.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
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Wright cited statistics showing that natural gas -- long the nation's leading source of electricity -- provided 43% of electric power at peak generation during the storm, followed by coal at 24% and nuclear at 15%.—
MATTHEW DALY,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The apex of the sun's motion through space is near the summer star Vega, almost opposite in the sky from Orion.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
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Regina is the teenage apex predator of North Shore High, always looking for an opportunity to bolster her impeccable popularity or take down a potential rival.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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