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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as in pivotal
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of watershed
Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 15 Sep. 2025
Is this a watershed moment for the nation?
—ABC News, 14 Sep. 2025
Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 25 Sep. 2025
At least one wolf was present in the watersheds north and west of Grand Junction, according to a map released Wednesday by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watershed
Noun
Many see Kirk’s assignation as a watershed moment for the country.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 15 Sep. 2025
Is this a watershed moment for the nation?
—ABC News, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The coalition of concerned groups and individuals gathered at Hines Park in Plymouth on Wilcox Lake, an impaired water body in the Rouge River watershed improved in recent years through millions in restoration funding for the watershed through the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 25 Sep. 2025
At least one wolf was present in the watersheds north and west of Grand Junction, according to a map released Wednesday by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watershed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watershed
Noun
-
Are there company-specific milestones that make transitioning out more or less natural (such as the integration of a major acquisition, the launch of an important new product, or the completion of a long-running project)?—
Kurt Strovink,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
-
That second reception marked a historic milestone.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
These types of deliveries were highlighted by The Athletic in the summer as a speciality of Zubimendi’s, and one of these was pivotal to Arsenal’s second goal, too.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Archaeologists thus got a snapshot of these early humans during a pivotal moment in history when the climate permitted their dispersal through a warming Gobi Desert.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Near the climax of the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics—a living diorama of British history, directed by the filmmaker Danny Boyle—a model house was lifted away to reveal Berners-Lee.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
In Taylor’s absence steps young Infiniti, whose performance presents initially as softer and quieter, before transforming as the film barrels toward its climax.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Politics of Retreat In the UK, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, seeking to head off pressure from Reform, has pledged to repeal the landmark 2008 Climate Change Act, which established binding carbon budgets and created the independent Climate Change Committee.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
As crowds of protesters marched from Place d’Italie toward the Eiffel Tower, the tower’s management announced in a statement that the landmark was closed to visitors due to the strike, according to The Associated Press.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That carbon remains sequestered in the lower mantle for epochal lengths of time; some of it eventually erupts back into the atmosphere via volcanism.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
-
As in the 1970s, the political climate has undergone an epochal shift since 2020.—
Payton McCarty-Simas,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
While economic influence and diplomacy shape a country’s role in the world, the ability to defend its borders and project force abroad remains a decisive factor in global affairs.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The Padres went with Robert Suarez, another stud right-hander, for the final four outs in the 3-0 victory that brings this postseason bout to a decisive Game 3 on Thursday in Chicago.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
The reformation of the band was casually dropped on the surprised crowd in Cleveland partway through what started off as a far less momentous conversation.—
Annie Zaleski,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
-
This new perspective is so momentous that the series is changing its name from Interview With the Vampire to The Vampire Lestat, the same name as Anne Rice's 1985 novel about Lestat's rise to rock stardom.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Watershed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watershed. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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