WATERSHED Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

watershed 1 of 2

noun

ˈwȯ-tər-ˌshed

Definition of watershed

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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watershed

2 of 2

adjective

as in pivotal

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Dissimilar Words

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 watershed

Noun

Europe is contending with another heat wave this week, as soaring temperatures raise the risk of wildfires, threaten crops and dry watersheds that feed the region’s waterways, including the Rhine, Danube and Po. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 Ocean Friendly Gardens restores healthy watersheds by using native plants to filter pollutants and soak up extra water and by upgrading landscapes to maintain rainwater runoff and direct water back into the ground instead of storm drains. — Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Two players acquired during the watershed opening day of free agency have little name recognition. — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 5 July 2026 And that’s for showing up at a red carpet, not for a watershed celebrity wedding that threatens to overshadow America’s 250th birthday on July 4. — Marc Malkin, Variety, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for watershed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for watershed

Noun

Caterham and her family are marking her milestone birthday this year with a private celebration, according to Guinness World Records.

— Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
Only Jones and Alexander-Arnold have reached that 200-game milestone at Liverpool among their academy graduates since Gerrard.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of milestone

Adjective

The Tiananmen Square crackdown was a pivotal moment in China’s modern history, showing that the market reform that transformed the country into the world’s second-largest economy would not be coupled with political liberalization.

— Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
But considered closer, Frankie’s insult to his sister sets up a pivotal moment later.

— Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of pivotal

Noun

At the song’s climax came an explosion, multiple showers of sparks and a quick series of fireworks that torpedoed down from the rafters.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 18 Aug. 2026
Building to a poignant climax, writer-director Noah Segan’s elegant love letter to both New York and to bygone cinematic eras recalls both the 1970s, with its grungy urban antiheroes, and the 1990s, in its American indie ethos.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of climax

Adjective

The former touts Mohamed Salah, an epochal star with ample motivation after his fraught final campaign with Liverpool.

— Christopher Hamill, New York Times, 15 June 2026
The Cane Ridge Revival would become an epochal moment in American religious history, one of the most visible manifestations of what historians would later refer to as the Second Great Awakening.

— Michael Luo, New Yorker, 14 June 2026

Definition of epochal

Noun

While people might flock to New York City year-round for a glimpse of its dramatic skylines and cultural landmarks, locals know there are tens of thousands of miles to be explored beyond Manhattan.

— Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2026
Prime Video has unveiled a landmark $2 billion-plus investment plan in Latin American entertainment spanning 2027 to 2030 in a concerted bid to increase viewership and engagement.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of landmark

Adjective

The Maracana is one of soccer's most iconic venues, having hosted the decisive match of the 1950 men's World Cup, with Uruguay crowned champions after beating the hosts 2-1.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Quinn Yeargain, a professor of the law of democracy at Michigan State University College of Law, said Median’s intent would be a decisive factor in determining whether any laws were broken.

— Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of decisive

Adjective

There’s little sense of forward motion in these tracks, but even when simply drifting in place, the blend of atmosphere and physicality—sunset glow meets seismic throb—is payoff enough.

— Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of payoff

Browse Nearby Words

waters down

watershed

watersheds

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“Watershed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watershed. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of watershed

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

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