Synonym Chooser

How does the noun apex differ from other similar words?

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

the apex of Dutch culture

When might acme be a better fit than apex?

While the synonyms acme and apex are close in meaning, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

Where would climax be a reasonable alternative to apex?

In some situations, the words climax and apex are roughly equivalent. However, climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When could culmination be used to replace apex?

The meanings of culmination and apex largely overlap; however, culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When is peak a more appropriate choice than apex?

The words peak and apex can be used in similar contexts, but peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

In what contexts can pinnacle take the place of apex?

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

the pinnacle of worldly success

When would summit be a good substitute for apex?

The words summit and apex are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 apex The grandson was to climb to the apex of achievement, to stun his family and, in time, the world with his talent. Llewellyn King, Boston Herald, 25 Nov. 2024 The turn of the millennium is when vodka was at the apex of its cultural power. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 4 Jan. 2025 Workers at Ford famously mass-produced the lightweight Army Jeep, the Pygmy, and, at an apex of one per hour, the B-24 Liberator. Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024 The film reaches its apex towards the end as the story slows down to savor each course of this monumental meal—primi, secondi, etc. Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for apex 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apex
Noun
  • In some ways, saber teeth represent an evolutionary pinnacle, the optimal design for a canine tooth to puncture prey, says Rayfield.
    Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 21 Jan. 2025
  • For 2025, the VW Tiguan, which has been the company’s top selling model since it was redesigned in 2018 to align with the Atlas, serves as a pinnacle of all those ideas and then, takes them a step further with true luxury features and an even more elevated, refined style inside and out.
    Scotty Reiss, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Every day Newsweek provides readers with the best hints and tips to solve Connections, one of the most popular games published by The New York Times.
    Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Trump also promised to eliminate taxes on tips and Social Security, which would drive the price tag exponentially higher.
    Stephanie Dhue, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • John Ashton, the actor who reached a career zenith as detective John Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise, died at his Fort Collins, Colorado home on Friday after a battle with cancer.
    Marc Berman, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
  • The best way to hold monoculars steady is to use two hands – one in front of the other – and use gravity when observing something at the zenith, allowing your eye socket to gently support their weight.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The pump station was also at the end of its useful life and experienced corrosion due to water on the pump station walls, officials said.
    Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The defense loses a bunch of key veterans, but first- and second-year players such as Moore, Shuler, defensive end Bryce Young and linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa are poised to take over.
    Stewart Mandel, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Fox’s monochromatic ensemble consisted of a button-front midi skirt, a cropped puffer jacket and a leather corset top.
    Hannah Malach, WWD, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Renato Moicano came up short in his attempt to unseat Islam Makhachev at the top of the UFC lightweight division at UFC 311, losing to the champ via first-round submission.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The survey taken on the cusp of his inauguration shows both the potential and the landmines as Trump becomes the first president since Grover Cleveland to win the White House, lose his reelection bid and then rebound to win it again.
    Susan Page, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
  • The zodiac sign on the cusp of your seventh house (along with its planetary ruler) can tell you more about your relationship dynamics and the kind of energy that best aligns with your style of commitment.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Scores of other active projects would be discussed in other meetings, on other days—including museum spaces in Bilbao, Madrid, and San Diego, and a proposal for a tower in Riyadh that, at a height of two kilometres, would be more than twice as tall as any building ever built.
    Ian Parker, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Quite frankly, Moicano is far from being at Makhachev’s lofty height.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Those turns on the throne have not been in a row, but rather spread across a number of years, as the smash surges back to the peak every holiday season.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
  • The hills are peppered with colorful houses, creating a delightful contrast with the severe peaks of the surrounding fjords.
    Danuta Hamlin, Fox News, 18 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Apex.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apex. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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