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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Losing his grip Even with his career at its pinnacle and before his back became chronically balky, Woods found his way onto tabloid headlines.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Madison Square Park Tower represents the pinnacle of New York living.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With 13 customizable controls, 11-zone Chroma under-glow, and Gen-3 Optical Switches that are rated for 90 million clicks, this mouse will survive your climb to the top of the leaderboard.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Lovejoy scored its final run on a Carson Branch homer to left field in the top of the sixth.—
Myah Taylor,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Her materials include those most basic elements of the earth—geology—and her forms borrow from totems, obelisks, prehistoric megaliths, and Indigenous Caribbean zeniths.—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
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Japanese consumer electronics company Maxell, known for its high-performance chromium metal cassettes during its 80s zenith, has now released a modern update to the portable cassette player.—
Shirl Leigh
April 06,
New Atlas,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Noah Baumbach reached new heights with this bittersweet examination of a relationship in the aftermath of a breaking point.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
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This building has a diameter of 80 feet and a height of 100 feet.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The book is the culmination of 15 years studying the American education system strengths and weaknesses.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
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The Bruins’ win was the culmination of a decade-long build by UCLA and head coach Cori Close, who have capitalized on this era of chaos in college sports to create a potential new women’s basketball power.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For one thing, Hatmaker came of age during what was arguably the peak of evangelicalism in the United States.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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This is because the peas are picked at peak freshness, then flash-frozen, pronto.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The quarter-ton bears, apex predators who are revered by some Native American tribes but also feared for their attacks on livestock and sometimes humans, became locally extinct in California in 1924, the same year that the last California gray wolf was captured and killed.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
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The apex of their time together in space—the lunar flyby of day six—has almost arrived.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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