Synonyms of altitude

altitude

noun

ˈal-tə-ˌtüd 

1

as in elevation

the distance of something or someone from bottom to top

the altitude of the highest mountain in the U.S. is only about two thirds that of the highest mountain in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

• elevation
• height
• inches
• stature
• tallness
• rise
• highness
• loftiness

2

as in hill

usually altitudes plural an area of high ground

the air is thinner at higher altitudes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• elevation
• hill
• height
• mountain
• cliff
• ridge
• prominence
• highland
• upland
• eminence
• rise
• peak
• mound
• hump
• table
• plateau
• steep
• mount
• dome
• tableland
• mesa
• crag
• knoll
• foothill
• bluff
• butte
• alp
• tor
• precipice
• downs
• sierra
• knob
• hillock
• hummock
• sugarloaf

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lowland
• valley
• depression
• vale
• basin
• dell
• hollow
• dale
• glen
• bottom
• plain
• floodplain
• flat
• tidewater
• bottomland
• fen
• dingle

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun altitude contrast with its synonyms?

The words elevation and height are common synonyms of altitude. While all three words mean "vertical distance either between the top and bottom of something or between a base and something above it," altitude and elevation apply to height as measured by angular measurement or atmospheric pressure; altitude is preferable when referring to vertical distance above the surface of the earth or above sea level; elevation is used especially in reference to vertical height on land.

fly at an altitude of 10,000 meters

Denver is a city with a high elevation

When is height a more appropriate choice than altitude?

In some situations, the words height and altitude are roughly equivalent. However, height refers to something measured vertically whether high or low.

a wall two meters in height

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of altitude

Because Odysseus did not have access to altitude data, the spacecraft touched down faster, and on a 12-degree slope, which exceeded the 10-degree limit. —Ars Technica, 5 Mar. 2025

And like humans, the changes in altitude, air pressure, and temperature associated with flight can also register to pets as discomfort. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025

Here, vignerons must contend with harsher climates, higher altitudes, and constantly fluctuating temperatures—but that's only pushed growers to be more creative. —Alessandra Amodio, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2025

One user from the United States posted six updates in total — detailing everything from the cities the flight was passing over in real time to the exact altitude and wind conditions. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025