pinnacle

1 of 2

noun

pin·​na·​cle ˈpi-ni-kəl How to pronounce pinnacle (audio)
1
: an upright architectural member generally ending in a small spire and used especially in Gothic construction to give weight especially to a buttress
2
: a structure or formation suggesting a pinnacle
specifically : a lofty peak
3
: the highest point of development or achievement : acme

Illustration of pinnacle

Illustration of pinnacle
  • P pinnacle 1

pinnacle

2 of 2

verb

pinnacled; pinnacling ˈpi-ni-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce pinnacle (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to surmount with a pinnacle
2
: to raise or rear on a pinnacle

Did you know?

Pinnacle is one of several words that aspire to both literal and figurative heights. Others include summit, peak, climax, apex, acme, and culmination. All of these can refer to the highest point of a mountain or structure, or the highest point attained or attainable over a person's lifetime, career, etc. When referring to part of a building, pinnacle describes a projection on top of a tower (as on a Gothic cathedral). The word derives via Anglo-French from Late Latin pinnaculum, meaning "small wing," a diminutive of pinna, meaning "wing or battlement." When used figuratively, pinnacle sometimes implies a dizzying and insecure height, such as that brought on by unexpected fame.

Choose the Right Synonym for pinnacle

summit, peak, pinnacle, climax, apex, acme, culmination mean the highest point attained or attainable.

summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

Examples of pinnacle in a Sentence

Noun a singer who has reached the pinnacle of success
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Gobin had reached the pinnacle of U.S. polo in the 1990s and 2000s, captaining national teams and winning international cups. Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 Compared with the pre-COVID employment heights of February 2020, the San Francisco metro area is 34,500 jobs below that pinnacle, the East Bay has a shortfall of 4,600 jobs and the South Bay is 4,300 jobs short. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 The Countach and its predecessor, the Lamborghini Miura, are widely regarded as the first modern supercars, creating the template for a vehicle category that still marks the pinnacle in automotive performance and design. Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 In suggesting a mysterious correspondence between a person’s inner world and the physical world, stories of St. Patrick’s Purgatory began to map out a landscape of the soul that mirrored the landscape of the earth, spanning the highest and holiest pinnacles and the most desolate abysses. Lanta Davis and Vince Reighard, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024 In early 1990, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan reached the pinnacle of the music industry. Christian Schneider, National Review, 29 Feb. 2024 The dynamic pianist Conrad Tao joins the orchestra for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, a pinnacle of the repertoire as well as the final work for piano and orchestra that Beethoven performed personally. The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024 Wabi-style tea perhaps reached its pinnacle in the 16th century, when the celebrated tea master Sen no Rikyū introduced innovations still used today. Paul S. Atkins, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2024 In the national imagination, San Francisco is often cast as the pinnacle of blue state America. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
Verb
Mark Margolis, the longtime character actor whose career pinnacled with unforgettable arcs on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has died at the age of 83. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2023 One father, two sons, all coaching their teams to pinnacle moments of their seasons. Matt Goul, cleveland, 19 Mar. 2021 At the start of 2015, Hollar's weight pinnacled at 678. Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, 4 Feb. 2018

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pinacle, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin pinnaculum small wing, gable, from Latin pinna wing, battlement

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinnacle was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Pinnacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinnacle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pinnacle

noun
pin·​na·​cle
ˈpin-i-kəl
1
: a slender tower generally coming to a point at the top
2
: a high pointed peak
3
: the highest point of achievement or development

More from Merriam-Webster on pinnacle

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