Synonym Chooser

How does the noun apex differ from other similar words?

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

the apex of Dutch culture

When might acme be a better fit than apex?

While the synonyms acme and apex are close in meaning, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

Where would climax be a reasonable alternative to apex?

In some situations, the words climax and apex are roughly equivalent. However, climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When could culmination be used to replace apex?

The meanings of culmination and apex largely overlap; however, culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When is peak a more appropriate choice than apex?

The words peak and apex can be used in similar contexts, but 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 apex?

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

the pinnacle of worldly success

When would summit be a good substitute for apex?

The words summit and apex are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

Example 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 apex Logan and his younger brother, Jake Paul—himself a YouTuber and influencer, who has also turned to boxing—have been famous for more than a decade now, and reality television, Logan explains to Agdal, would be the apex of the pyramid that the siblings have been scaling. Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2025 The return to the sport’s apex, however, doesn’t mean that everything is rosy for Auriemma. Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 6 Apr. 2025 The Tesla cheerleading reached a new apex on Wednesday. Allison Morrow, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025 At their apex, each presided over a territory of 1.5 million square miles (four million square kilometers) and governed a population of around 60 to 70 million people. Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for apex
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apex
Noun
  • Love probably needs to play like a $220 million quarterback for the Packers to reach the sport’s pinnacle.
    Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • Surf Ranch in Fresno, created by 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, became a pinnacle of wave technology, but has a hefty price tag in the tens of thousands to access.
    Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Illinois would be the first state to require a distinction on consumer retail transactions between goods, taxes and tips, creating the need for what opponents say would be a complicated and expensive software change.
    Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025
  • My first tip to ward off burnout is to get back to paper.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • The end of this series, and specifically Game 5, feels like their zenith.
    Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 15 May 2025
  • If dandyism is, at least in part, a kind of showy restraint—being seen on purpose without caring so much about how the spectacle is apprehended by others—this was something like its zenith.
    Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • The teaser at the end of this week’s hour-long episode promises bonafide flagship mess: Obnoxious guests, police coming onboard, deckhand Kyle apparently hooking up with a guest.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 June 2025
  • Nawrocki jumped ahead in later polls and would hold on for the victory by the end of the day.
    Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • Flip nectarines, and brush tops with reserved honey mixture.
    Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 23 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, Bronze could be seen lying at the top of a blow-up slide before sliding down and joining his sister as dad Patrick helped from the sidelines with the activities while Brittany cheered them on.
    Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Unfortunately for me, the cusp of my adulthood was marred by yet another international calamity: the 2008 financial crisis.
    Lauren Stienstra, Time, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The indexes are right on the cusp of what stands as pretty obvious resistance on the charts.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Choosing perennials with long bloom times, along with different heights and colors, adds charm and depth to the garden.
    Lauren David, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
  • Budget $300 to $500 for these pots, preferably in two or three different heights.
    The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • Chance of lightning increases as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is overhead.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 31 May 2025
  • For context, during the 2022 inflation crisis, HIMS fell 87.3% from its peak, significantly worse than the S&P 500's 25.4% drop.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Apex.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apex. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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