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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He was particularly intrigued by schizophrenia—the pinnacle of madness and the most complex puzzle of all.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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Still, the pinnacles of the heartland-rock canon continue to thrill us in unexpected ways.—
Jack Hamilton,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Though the Red Sox got a run back in the top of the second on a solo homer by Wilyer Abreu, the Orioles immediately responded with a Rutschman fielder’s choice in the second, and then extended the lead on a solo shot by Samuel Basallo in the third.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
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The Marlins raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to Xavier Edwards’ RBI double and Liam Hicks’ two-run homer, an impressive drive that cut through a cold San Francisco night.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The sub-2 marathon marked the zenith of a multiyear turnaround effort at Adidas, which in 2022 terminated a lucrative partnership with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West in the wake of his antisemitic remarks.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Which is why Michael’s final cut screeches to a halt in 1988, just as the star has broken out from his family and reached a new zenith as a solo performer.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The documentary chronicled the height of outlaw country, which saw Coe in good company — Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, and the Charlie Daniels Band are also featured.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Cut up to half the sedge's height in early spring to thin it out.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The feat was the culmination of a shift—or, perhaps more aptly, a total disruption—in marathoning over the past few years, in which the eventual breaking of the mythical two-hour mark went from an impossibility to a guarantee.—
Alex Hutchinson,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
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The appointment, which requires Senate confirmation, appears to mark the culmination of a chaotic appointment process for a vacancy on the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, which controls Kansas City’s police department.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Summer draws peak visitors with its warm weather and lively festivals, including Traverse City Food & Wine.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
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Summer crowds have wound down, but everything is still open and colorful fall foliage is at its peak.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Unlike Tina Turner’s enthralling, apex music biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), watching Michael is like witnessing a daredevil walk a tightrope while wearing a harness over a mammoth, inflatable bounce house.—
Keith Murphy,
VIBE.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Inside a ritzy event venue overlooking the Kansas City skyline, Royals majority owner John Sherman on Wednesday unveiled plans for a new stadium in Crown Center, a celebratory announcement that marked the apex of the team’s yearslong, chaotic hunt for a new home.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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