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
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as in pivotal
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Recent Examples of watershed
Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Award winners this year were: Watershed Guardian, professional partner -- Ken Stout, City of Winslow, a long-time watershed champion and steward.
—Deb Harvell, arkansasonline.com, 13 Oct. 2024
Any municipality is at risk of water contamination if a wildfire burns through its watershed.
—Hannah Singleton, WIRED, 2 Sep. 2024
Madeline Heim is a Report for America corps reporter who writes about environmental issues in the Mississippi River watershed and across Wisconsin.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for watershed 
Noun
Even bilateral treaties such as the Indus Waters treaty between India and Pakistan have data sharing provisions for more effective watershed or eco-region management.
—Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Award winners this year were: Watershed Guardian, professional partner -- Ken Stout, City of Winslow, a long-time watershed champion and steward.
—Deb Harvell, arkansasonline.com, 13 Oct. 2024
Any municipality is at risk of water contamination if a wildfire burns through its watershed.
—Hannah Singleton, WIRED, 2 Sep. 2024
Madeline Heim is a Report for America corps reporter who writes about environmental issues in the Mississippi River watershed and across Wisconsin.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for watershed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watershed
Noun
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Snoop is now up to a dozen top 10s, while Dre collects his milestone tenth appearance between Nos. 1 and 10 with his latest collaboration.Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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During his initial stint with Front Row Motorsports, Lawson achieved significant milestones.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Topline Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled Syria Sunday after rebels seized control of Damascus, Russia’s foreign ministry said—a pivotal moment in the years-long civil war against the regime that has controlled Syria since the 1970s.Sara Dorn, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
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The races in 2026 feature three dozen gubernatorial contests, including swing states Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan amid the pivotal mid-term elections for Congress.Phillip M. Bailey, The Courier-Journal, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The escape that physical intimacy and the act of climax provide is as fleeting as the climax itself, pushing Lee to go beyond the physical and seek out even deeper ways to connect, namely telepathy, by the film’s end.David Opie, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
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In the film’s stirring climax, when Berniece’s encounter with the instrument becomes a moment of revelation, Deadwyler digs into the depths of Berniece’s rage, grief and vulnerability.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Those included the landmark 1991 case, McNeil v. NFL, which ushered in the league’s modern system of free agency.Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 15 Dec. 2024
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The dispute centers on an exception granted to California in 2022 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to national vehicle emission standards set by the agency under the landmark Clean Air Act anti-pollution law.Andrew Chung, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Superhero movies eventually conquered Hollywood, but few of them feel as epochal and vital as this one.Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024
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Vincent is caught on tape delivering a racist, John Galliano-esque tirade, plunging the house into an epochal PR crisis.Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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While such estimates are not definitive, the campaign doubtlessly inflicted a significant, if not decisive, blow against Hezbollah’s strategic arsenal.Paul Iddon, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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This compares with other forecasts for about 4%, in a decisive break with a longtime practice of capping it at 3% in the past.Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Meaning Behind The Proliferation Of Posts About The End Of The Eras Tour And Taylor Swift For many people online, the end of the Eras Tour is a momentous occasion — and a sad one too.Callum Booth, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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This year, millions of viewers looked to the sky during a momentous day in April to view a stunning total solar eclipse.Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Travis weeks earlier cited as the deciding and unprecedented factor.Chris Vannini, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
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As a result of the split, Sheboygan city residents play no deciding role in either of the two districts, which both lean heavily Republican.Journal Sentinel, Journal Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near watershed
Cite this Entry
“Watershed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watershed. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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