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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Retirement has been marketed as the pinnacle of a successful life, the moment that finally belongs to you.—
John Coleman,
Harvard Business Review,
10 Mar. 2026
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McDaniel’s second year was the pinnacle of Tagovailoa’s six years in Miami.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And how about the 2006 final when Palo Alto stunned Mater Dei 51-47 in Division II in which Jeremy Lin made a 25-foot bank shot from the top of the key.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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His cold-blooded 3-pointer from well beyond the top of the key gave his team the lead in an 8-0 run.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This cycle has reached its zenith in Netanyahu’s latest and greatest gamble.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
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This electrifying combo of documentary and concert film showcases the King of Rock 'n' Roll at his creative zenith during his 1970s Las Vegas residency and early '70s tours, and more importantly showcases Presley in all of his jumpsuited splendor, as both cultural icon and cool guy.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The hope for this team was that Peterson could carry KU’s offense to new heights, particularly in the postseason.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
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Wordless electronic lounge music pulses over the speakers, hanging well above the dining room from a triple-height ceiling.—
Henri Hollis,
AJC.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The marathon is often the culmination of years of mentorship and dedication.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
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The service Saturday represented the culmination of nine days of funerals and celebrations for Jackson, who died last month at age 84.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Regulating heat in these systems creates the right conditions for peak efficiency and performance, according to a press release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
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Palm oil surged as much as 10%, soybean oil jumped and wheat neared a two-year peak, as the war in the Middle East drove energy and fertilizer costs higher and threatened to tighten supplies across agricultural markets.—
Hallie Gu,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Under his reign at the apex of law enforcement in this rural Alabama county, 20 of his employees — nearly half the jail staff at the time of Mitchell's death — have been indicted in a sweeping federal investigation that also included five health care contractors.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
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From massive plant-eaters to fierce apex predators, each episode highlights how dinosaurs adapted to the climate and terrain of a changing planet and, ultimately, how their long reign came to a sudden and catastrophic end.—
Alex Shoemaker,
Parents,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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