as in milestone
a point in a chain of events at which an important change (as in one's fortunes) occurs
a watershed moment in her life came when she inherited a reasonable sum of money and was able to start her own coffee shop
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of watershed
Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Because much of the area has flat, poorly draining soils, this watershed has become a bottleneck that can rapidly overflow during heavy rains.
—Dominic Boyer, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 12 Mar. 2026
That made the company’s move to bring memory manufacturing back to Boise — with the 2022 announcement of a $15 billion fab — a watershed moment for Micron and the state.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for watershed
Noun
Improvements began after policymakers recognized the mountains as vital watersheds for neighboring communities.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Because much of the area has flat, poorly draining soils, this watershed has become a bottleneck that can rapidly overflow during heavy rains.
—Dominic Boyer, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The early 1990s were a watershed moment for female health.
—Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 12 Mar. 2026
That made the company’s move to bring memory manufacturing back to Boise — with the 2022 announcement of a $15 billion fab — a watershed moment for Micron and the state.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for watershed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watershed
Noun
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Sebago is also taking its birthday milestone celebrations on the road with its new boat tour across Europe.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
3 May 2026
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The news broke the hearts of passionate regulars, who had flocked to the restaurant for family milestones, business dinners, romantic evenings and girls’ nights out since 1999.—
Connie Ogle
May 2,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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The seven tracks on their first LP together are largely instrumental and instinctive, building a pivotal series of Miami recording sessions into a fresco of outsider rock, ambient, and avant-garde arrangement.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
1 May 2026
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McDonald didn’t bother hiding his happiness as KU’s defense stopped a pivotal fourth down late in the second quarter.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Thus, the film evolves into a twisted take on the maternal bond between Peter and Wendy Darling, especially when Ben can’t bring himself to strangle Sasha to death during the film’s climax.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
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So while the actual climax this weekend was stunning, the crescendo began long before Opening Day or even spring training.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Its demographics have also undergone an epochal shift.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
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Like nuclear-fission research, machine learning was a small scientific field with epochal implications which was dominated by a cadre of eccentric geniuses.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The company — which last week unveiled a landmark car battery with a 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) range that takes just six minutes to charge — has been boosted by the conflict in the Middle East; its stock price has jumped almost 25% since late February.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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An epic K-pop pilgrimage tour is the easiest way to tick off the must-see locations in one go, including landmarks like the iconic KBS broadcasting station that has played a major role in launching the careers of countless K-pop stars.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Zehavi doubted the proliferation of FPV drones would have a truly decisive impact on the war overall, comparing it to previous technological improvements Hezbollah has adopted.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
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Only four have even pushed it to the decisive Game 7.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Not wrong for much of the last three decades — but Saturday night’s gig, and all the joyous revelry surrounding it, showed why the Live ’25 Tour has been payoff enough for none of them to look back in anger at any of it.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Thursday, April 30, was supposed to be a momentous day for Ben Collins and The Onion.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
30 Apr. 2026
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While adjusting to life back on Earth, the Artemis II astronauts have helped the space agency prepare for the next moon missions under the program while also capitalizing on the significant public interest in the momentous venture with a series of public appearances.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watershed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watershed. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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