pinnacle

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun pinnacle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of pinnacle are acme, apex, climax, culmination, peak, and summit. While all these words mean "the highest point attained or attainable," pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

Where would acme be a reasonable alternative to pinnacle?

Although the words acme and pinnacle 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

When is it sensible to use apex instead of pinnacle?

The meanings of apex and pinnacle largely overlap; however, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When could climax be used to replace pinnacle?

The words climax and pinnacle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 pinnacle?

In some situations, the words culmination and pinnacle are roughly equivalent. However, culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When might peak be a better fit than pinnacle?

While the synonyms peak and pinnacle are close in meaning, peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

When can summit be used instead of pinnacle?

The words summit and pinnacle can be used in similar contexts, but summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

Examples of pinnacle in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web Zero has become the pinnacle of what anime arena fighters can be and then some. Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2024 After threatening to kill him for his transgression, Oz eventually agrees to let Vic prove himself — to test him to see if Vic can run with him to help Oz ascend to the pinnacle of criminal power of Gotham. Diego Ramos Bechara, Variety, 20 Sep. 2024 Microsoft Microsoft is at the pinnacle of addressing highly complex global technological challenges. Michelle Raz, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024 Views include red rock pinnacles and cliffs, Sinagua cliff dwellings, wildlife and a rare riparian habitat. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pinnacle 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinnacle
Noun
  • Comments As sure as the potato sack not being the right mask for Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th: Part 2 (1981), slasher movies reached their zenith in the 1980s.
    Steven Thrash, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2024
  • The starkness of the OPM cataclysm being tracked by Validated Insights can only be appreciated by having seen the size and dominance of these companies at their zenith.
    Derek Newton, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • There’s another factor the Harris campaign would do well to keep top of mind, Psaki added.
    Jane Thier, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
  • Casting the judges in Culinary Class Wars Paik Jong-won, a leading chef and restaurateur in Korea who owns over 20 food, beverage and restaurant brands and has hosted various cooking shows, was top of mind for the show’s creators.
    Regina Kim, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • In 2016 and 2020, few celebrities on the right side of middle age or at the peak of their careers backed Trump.
    Sarah Bedford, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Nov. 2024
  • As seasons shift, so do consumer behaviors, and for the tree nursery industry, spring and fall are peak times when sales surge.
    Tammy Sons, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The final click is simply the culmination of this long-term media engagement.
    Gary Drenik, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
  • Between perched bouquets of red carnations and roses (references to the designer’s work) and fragrant Byredo candles, guests celebrated Chavarria’s prolific impact – a culmination of years of worldbuilding around notions of evolving masculinity and contemporary Chicano identity.
    Freya Drohan, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Mastodon reached new heights with Crack the Skye when it was released more than a decade ago, including on the Top Album Sales chart.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
  • At the height Friday, that number was more than 200, and Cal Fire sent in aircraft to drop fire retardant on the area.
    Kyle Martin, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • In August, at the exuberant apex of Kamala Harris’s campaign for the presidency, Coates attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a reporter for Vanity Fair.
    Seyward Darby, Longreads, 23 Sep. 2024
  • Yamal, one of the impactful forwards, is at the apex of this playing style.
    Henry Flynn, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Pinnacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinnacle. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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