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peak

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun peak differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of peak are acme, apex, climax, culmination, pinnacle, and summit. While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

When could acme be used to replace peak?

Although the words acme and peak have much in common, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

Where would apex be a reasonable alternative to peak?

The words apex and peak can be used in similar contexts, but apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When might climax be a better fit than peak?

While in some cases nearly identical to peak, climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When is culmination a more appropriate choice than peak?

While the synonyms culmination and peak are close in meaning, culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When is it sensible to use pinnacle instead of peak?

The words pinnacle and peak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

In what contexts can summit take the place of peak?

In some situations, the words summit and peak are roughly equivalent. However, summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of peak
Noun
The record peaked on May 31 at No. 13 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. Greg Evans, Deadline, 3 July 2025 Temperatures are expected to peak late in the afternoon. Kansas City Star, 3 July 2025
Verb
In the summer of 2010 during the peak of the Tea Party fervor, just 35% had a favorable view of the health care legislation. Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 5 July 2025 The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for peak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peak
Noun
  • The fire has scorched around 20 acres of land on the mountain, but no structures were lost, the department said.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 1 July 2025
  • Imagine standing atop a mountain, gazing at the vast landscape below, trying to make sense of the world around you.
    Ben Verghese, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Young reached the pinnacle of success in high school at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif.—he was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020—and in college at Alabama.
    Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 7 July 2025
  • That said, James Cameron's epic reaches the pinnacle of disaster-movie impudence with the distasteful suggestion that the most celebrated tragedy of the 20th century occurred because a few lookouts were distracted by Kate and Leo sucking face.
    EW Staff Published, EW.com, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, dishes at the restaurant brim with local ingredients, including wasabi, an Okutama specialty that is grown a stone's throw away.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
  • The engineering of Mario’s hat is marvelous, giving the brim a perfect pitch without sacrificing the aesthetic.
    Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • As stocks surge, Chanos has been warning of other market absurdities including the proliferation of Bitcoin treasury companies which raise money to buy and hold the cryptocurrency.
    Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 30 June 2025
  • Though traders now head into the second half of the year with stocks at record highs, some remain optimistic the market could surge even higher in the months ahead.
    Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 30 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
Verb
  • Speakers said recent actions by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials had provoked increasing concern over the safety of local residents attending the Club World Cup games this summer at Hard Rock Stadium.
    CD Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
  • Establishing a medical school here is expected to increase the likelihood of graduates practicing in the area, while addressing a national shortage of physicians.
    Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Chambray may be a humble fabric, but 100 Hands has elevated it to new heights with its Iced Washed Japanese Chambray Shirt.
    Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 7 July 2025
  • The river reached its second-highest height on record, surpassing a 1987 flood level, according to the National Weather Service.
    Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • News of the deaths comes as New York City’s jail population has been rising sharply, in March cresting over 7,000 for the first time since 2019.
    Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025
  • The Kentucky River crested in Frankfort, the capital, just shy of the city’s protective flood walls Monday morning.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Peak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peak. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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