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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As far back as a decade ago, when Villeneuve was on the promotion trail for Sicario, the Canadian said that action is art — and Bond is the very pinnacle of the genre.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
26 June 2025
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Whether your passion is for Oregon’s superlative Pinot noir or California’s world-class Bordeaux blends, these wines are truly at the pinnacle of American winemaking.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Once the grill top gets nice and hot, use your now-clean brush to make one more pass across the grates.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 June 2025
-
At the top of that class is the Flower Pot Fountain, which sends leaf- or flower-like clusters of sparks sprouting in different directions.—
Ethan Wolin,
Sacbee.com,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
For such a humanist filmmaker, Boyle reached his zenith by pondering us at our lowest point.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
-
The band had reached its zenith, with Beatlemania-size crowds greeting them in Australia and Canada, and significant success cracking the American market.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
Noun
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Turmoil continues to roil the Middle East in a 12-day conflict that reached new heights June 21 after President Donald Trump authorized a series of U.S. missile strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
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With production reaching new heights, quality control will become harder to manage and more important.—
Bill Rokos,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
Harvard alleged the revocation was the culmination of a retaliatory campaign by the Trump administration on academic freedom at Harvard.—
Alexandra Koch , Bill Mears,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2025
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Washington said that was the culmination of a day in which Enright and the Angels were frustrated with Ortiz.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
Google Trends data from April to May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, showed a worldwide peak in online searches for dog adoption, up to 250% higher than typical trends for early pandemic months.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 June 2025
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Located in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, Mount Washington is the tallest peak in the northeastern United States.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside Online,
24 June 2025
Noun
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These special flagships are at the apex of its retail strategy and network of 364 points of sale.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
18 June 2025
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Trusted advisors are the apex of the professional class.—
Mark A. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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