summit 1 of 2

summit

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun summit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of summit are acme, apex, climax, culmination, peak, and pinnacle. While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

When could acme be used to replace summit?

The words acme and summit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

When might apex be a better fit than summit?

In some situations, the words apex and summit are roughly equivalent. However, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When can climax be used instead of summit?

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

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When would culmination be a good substitute for summit?

Although the words culmination and summit have much in common, 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 peak instead of summit?

While the synonyms peak and summit are close in meaning, peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

Where would pinnacle be a reasonable alternative to summit?

The synonyms pinnacle and summit are sometimes interchangeable, but pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

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 summit
Noun
What to do: Hiking dramatic portions of the Pacific Crest Trail; climbing peaks that few others have summited; boating and swimming in the adjacent NRAs. Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025 Polish mountaineer Wanda Rutkiewicz was the third woman and first from Europe to summit Everest. Jenny Hall, CNN Money, 14 May 2025
Verb
This is why President Trump’s reaction to the commitment by NATO members at their recent summit to more than double their defense-spending target is welcome, even if a partial opt-out for Spain is not. The Editors, National Review, 27 June 2025 Outlaw has reached the Kilimanjaro summit 20 times and is all set for No. 21. News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for summit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summit
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • The Western States 100 ranks as America’s top ultramarathon, launching from the Palisades Tahoe ski resort and ascending to nearly 9,000 feet before dropping into Auburn, California.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025
  • Models ascended monumental metal scaffolding, walked through cascading fountains in towering Kiss boots, and turned the runway into performance art.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 30 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
  • Sitting at the top are Manchester City, the only club to exceed $50m so far.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Since businesses either shut down or scaled back drastically, job losses followed quickly.
    Emese Maczko, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • While originally set to create upwards of 2,500 jobs once operational and bring a $3.5 billion dollar investment from Ford, the project has since been scaled back.
    Elyse Apel, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 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
  • What's happening right now in America is that Americans across the board appear to be replacing their sense of national identity with their allegiance to partisan identity, or what appears to be happening is that our partisan identities are surmounting our national identity as Americans.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • But in a media world where the barriers to entry are more easily surmounted, people with a strong following or fan base can command a sliver all their own that may no longer go to the mainstream outlet for a fix.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 30 May 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
  • 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
Verb
  • Place the chicken in front of you, breast up, with the neck pointing away from you.
    Peter Barrett, Outside Online, 9 June 2025
  • Its superiority was passed like a shibboleth among food connoisseurs: Thighs are juicier, tastier, are almost half the price—preferable in just about every way to the boneless, skinless, flavorless breasts that reign supreme in America.
    Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Summit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summit. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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