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
-
All the athletes crave The Claw trophy, the pinnacle of success.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
And it’s all housed inside a glamorous 120-year-old building sat beneath the towering Alps in northern Italy, long a retreat for aristocrats and dignitaries alike—and now, of course, folks devoted to that seemingly elusive goal of reaching the pinnacle of health.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Olympians – athletes at the top of their sport and in prime health – are idolized and often viewed as superhuman.—
Emily Hemendinger,
The Conversation,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Following the rally, Larson and Jeffries left for a fundraising dinner at The Foundry restaurant at the top of the Hartford Steam Boiler building, a frequent location for fundraisers when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came to town.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Once at the second point, the Dragon will briefly pause its approach and then proceed directly to a docking with the zenith or space-facing side of the Harmony node.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
No preventive war Debate about overly permissive use of force reached its zenith in the lead-up to the Bush administration’s invasion of Iraq in 2003.—
Gerard F. Powers,
The Conversation,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Finish with your favorite heeled boots to add height and let the coat truly shine.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Take your garden to new heights with vining plants that add quick color to fence lines.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Rather than centering a single narrative, Valentino created a lantern festival (which usually marks the culmination of Chinese New Year) at Tianhou Temple — a functioning ritual site rather than a neutral backdrop.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
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That’s what unfolded in the downhill race in what was supposed to be the culmination of her comeback.—
Matthew Futterman,
Twin Cities,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
At their peak, the gatherings might attract 40 or more people.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Feb. 2026
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On Colorado's tallest peaks, including Mount Zirkel, and ski areas, including Keystone and Breckenridge, snow is forecast through Saturday evening.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Once Booker gets by him, Alex’s job is just to get the ball at its apex.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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For most Olympic national governing bodies (NGBs), revenue ebbs and flows in a familiar pattern, ramping up in the year of the Games, then dipping before starting to build again to a slightly higher apex.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“High-water mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-water%20mark. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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