peak 1 of 2

peak

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun peak differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of peak are acme, apex, climax, culmination, pinnacle, and summit. While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

When could acme be used to replace peak?

Although the words acme and peak have much in common, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

Where would apex be a reasonable alternative to peak?

The words apex and peak can be used in similar contexts, but apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When might climax be a better fit than peak?

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

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When is culmination a more appropriate choice than peak?

While the synonyms culmination and peak are close in meaning, 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 pinnacle instead of peak?

The words pinnacle and peak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

In what contexts can summit take the place of peak?

In some situations, the words summit and peak are roughly equivalent. However, summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

Examples of peak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
At its peak, the account had more than 450,000 followers. Sara Smart and Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024 Sears, Kmart struggle in new retail economy At its peak, Kmart had well over 2,000 locations in the U.S. and was among the nation's retail giants. James Powel, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2024
Verb
This one topped the charts in Spain and Switzerland, peaked U.K. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 20 Oct. 2024 State of play: Peak fall foliage is now on display in northwestern Utah, with the rest of the state expected to reach partial to peak levels by Oct. 21. Kim Bojórquez, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for peak 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'peak.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near peak

Cite this Entry

“Peak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peak. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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