summit 1 of 2

summit

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun summit differ from other similar words?

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

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

When could acme be used to replace summit?

The words acme and summit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

When might apex be a better fit than summit?

In some situations, the words apex and summit are roughly equivalent. However, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When can climax be used instead of summit?

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

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When would culmination be a good substitute for summit?

Although the words culmination and summit have much in common, 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 peak instead of summit?

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

an artist working at the peak of her powers

Where would pinnacle be a reasonable alternative to summit?

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

the pinnacle of worldly success

Examples 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 summit
Noun
It has been applied in forums such as the 1992 UN Earth Summit, the Internet Governance Forum, the annual World Economic Forum summit, and the annual Conferences of the Parties held to assess progress within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Anne-Marie Slaughter, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2024 Several inches of snow blanketed the summits of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, the tallest peaks in Hawaii and part of the state's Volcanoes National Park. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
Milana, initially scared to climb, gains confidence throughout the week and eventually summits Kitzsteinhorn. Kyra Kennedy, Outside Online, 29 Sep. 2024 Few dramas have evoked such intense emotional reactions from fans, critics, and creators, nor have many sought, let alone reached, the imaginative peaks summited by Lindelof, Perrotta & Co across three increasingly adventurous seasons. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for summit 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summit
Noun
  • The Regency era dates back to the early 1800s in England and was the pinnacle of high society, extravagance, and strict etiquette.
    Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Essentially, ‘just refill’ is encouraging consumers to reuse and refill because reusability is the pinnacle of sustainability.
    Simon Mainwaring, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The President in dead, and Penn has ascended to Commander in Chief.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
  • In 1871, Kaiser Wilhelm ascended to the throne of a newly unified Germany.
    Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Lower corporate taxes, and big new tariffs Cutting corporate tax rates is also at the top of Trump’s agenda.
    Tribune News Service, Twin Cities, 15 Nov. 2024
  • The seams are covered on the top and bottom, so there’s no irritation.
    Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 15 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Beyond Meat continues to focus on cost-reduction initiatives and reviewing its global operations, which may include scaling back or discontinuing some operations in China.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
  • Gauthier, who was mayor during most of the period in which the city achieved its historic drop in violent crime, believes East Palo Alto’s collaborative approach to crime reduction could be scaled up district-wide.
    Ryan Macasero, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Not that the spotlight in question shines all that brightly to begin with; most of the dozens of artists Nicolay spoke to work in commercially tenuous realms, such as indie rock or punk, in which a band like Sonic Youth represents the imagination’s zenith.
    Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
  • Today, even if her commercial power has waned from its 2019-2020 zenith, Grande has found a level of consistency amongst her cultural ubiquity.
    Stephen Daw, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • High-voltage towers surmounted this islet, the cables themselves, in the dimness, no more than spider’s silk floating in the air.
    Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
  • But what was the conflict that needed to be surmounted in order to bring us to this gushing catharsis?
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 June 2024
Noun
  • At the Arrowverse’s peak, with multiple shows on the air, DC Superhero series could take on this immediacy, without the self-consciousness of having to sell audiences on superhero shows.
    Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
  • Squash is at its peak this time of year and is a perfect base for secret sauces and/or unexpected ingredients that will make a meal memorable.
    Claudia Alexander, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • How can breast cancer support groups help patients and survivors?
    Sam Manzella, Flow Space, 30 Sep. 2024
  • Advertisement Cronin doesn’t feel like a marathoner who has breasted the tape so much as one in the middle of a race.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near summit

Cite this Entry

“Summit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summit. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on summit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!