Synonym Chooser

How does the noun acme differ from other similar words?

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

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

When could apex be used to replace acme?

While the synonyms apex and acme are close in meaning, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When is climax a more appropriate choice than acme?

The words climax and acme 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 it sensible to use culmination instead of acme?

The synonyms culmination and acme are sometimes interchangeable, but culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

Where would peak be a reasonable alternative to acme?

While in some cases nearly identical to acme, peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

In what contexts can pinnacle take the place of acme?

The meanings of pinnacle and acme largely overlap; however, pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

When might summit be a better fit than acme?

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

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

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 acme The sentence on Cafe Kestrel’s menu is the battle cry of the heroic rabbit Bigwig, shouted in righteous rage at the leader of the enemy tribe of rabbits, at the acme of the story’s great climactic battle. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2024 The Dior headquarters on the Avenue Montaigne, where the house’s presentations unfolded, were a polished foil to his clothes: gray rooms that were the acme of Belle Époque chic. Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2024 Liang’s political writings reached something of a creative acme in exile, where he was energized by Japanese intellectuals and their bountiful translations of Western texts. Chang Che, The New Yorker, 30 July 2024 The Iraq war, which began 20 years ago, represents the acme of American military folly—second only to the Vietnam War. Andrew J. Bacevich, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023 This is the acme of the true fantasy—not attracting a young man with chiseled cheekbones, perfect teeth, and the ability to wear a thick cardigan on a very hot day without even a bead of sweat—but actually being noticed. Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 1 May 2024 Compared to previous off-year elections with the same types of races on the ballot, Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all had their highest turnout since at least 2011, and Kentucky and Virginia came very close to matching their turnout acmes from 2019. Tia Yang, ABC News, 21 Dec. 2023 Instead, Trump best serves as a sort of touchstone for understanding McMahon’s particular vein of post-truth, and the acme of society’s larger embrace of the same. Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023 In each case, California was held up as the acme of civilization, and Fraser as a figure who knew almost nothing, bore no ill will, and was ready to be happily surprised. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acme
Noun
  • Wimbledon, which has always been the pinnacle of tennis, is lagging behind in that respect.
    Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
  • His vision of Southern America, blasted by crime, poverty and inequality, has put him on Barack Obama’s annual reading list and at the pinnacle of contemporary Southern noir.
    Vulture Editors, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The apotheosis of this bemusing sentiment was the Hamas massacre of Oct. 7, 2023.
    Newsweek, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Of course, formerly powerful women lashing out at a looming insignificance has at times been a staple of Hollywood cinema; the apotheosis is the delusional diva Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.
    Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The best way to hold monoculars steady is to use two hands – one in front of the other – and use gravity when observing something at the zenith, allowing your eye socket to gently support their weight.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025
  • In 1980, Spacek reached a career zenith with her Oscar-winning performance as the legendary Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter.
    Marc Berman, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Her beauty moments are nothing short of perfection—equipped with glowing skin that looks like the heavens kiss it, sleek hairstyles, and makeup that highlights her stunning features.
    Larry Stansbury, Essence, 13 Jan. 2025
  • With over 290 comments on the Instagram video so far, many people praised Vu's vision to take the dress from thrift shop to red carpet perfection.
    John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • When combined with cloud ERP, business AI can bring decision-making, process optimization, and customer experiences to new heights.
    Peter Pluim, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The building code has gradually acknowledged its existence but still limits its height to 85 feet (about eight stories).
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Bieber did, however, play his first gig in more than a year last February, when performed a short, surprise set of classics and recent hits at Drake’s Toronto club History during NHL All-Star weekend.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Get the recipe > Spicy Beef Potstickers Enhance ground beef with chili oil for a spicy take on a Lunar New Year classic.
    Megan Zhang, Saveur, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The text at the top of the video lists conservative commentator Benny Johnson as the source.
    Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
  • The Refrigerator More than likely, no one had time during the holidays to clean and sanitize the inside and outside of the fridge, especially if holiday fun and hosting were at the top of the agenda.
    Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • President Joe Biden, who came into office promising that his administration would be different, ended up chipping away at these ideals himself.
    Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
  • The way forward isn’t about abandoning the ideals behind DEI, but evolving them into frameworks that drive real impact.
    Gillian Oakenfull, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near acme

Cite this Entry

“Acme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acme. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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