summit 1 of 2

summit

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun summit differ from other similar words?

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

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

When could acme be used to replace summit?

The words acme and summit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

When might apex be a better fit than summit?

In some situations, the words apex and summit are roughly equivalent. However, apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

When can climax be used instead of summit?

While in some cases nearly identical to summit, climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

When would culmination be a good substitute for summit?

Although the words culmination and summit have much in common, culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

When is it sensible to use peak instead of summit?

While the synonyms peak and summit are close in meaning, peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

Where would pinnacle be a reasonable alternative to summit?

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

the pinnacle of worldly success

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 summit
Noun
In their annual Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit last weekend, Gulf Arab leaders called for the preservation of Syria’s territorial integrity, declared respect for its sovereignty and rejected regional interference in its internal affairs. Mostafa Salem, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024 He’s also shared a host of right-wing takes: At the podcast’s summit this September, Sacks questioned the effectiveness of the covid vaccine. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
Finally, the fungus causes the ant to climb up a plant and lock onto a leaf or a stem with its jaws – a behavior called summiting. Matt Kasson, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024 Heading northeast, the trail cuts 14 hilly miles from Fort Funston to the piers of The Embarcadero, summiting San Francisco’s 922-foot Twin Peaks in the process. Miles Howard, Outside Online, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for summit 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summit
Noun
  • These expressions represent the pinnacle of The Glen Grant's craftsmanship and testify to the distillery's commitment to quality.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
  • The 20th century had seen pure abstraction claimed as visual art’s pinnacle.
    Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • John told Lennon if the song ascended to the top of the charts, Lennon would have to join him onstage to sing it.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
  • The evergreen tree growing atop the stairway that ascends 2,000 feet up a hillside near Manitou Springs has for years been decorated with bulbs, lights and other festive trinkets by hikers during the holiday season.
    Max Levy, The Denver Post, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The image first gained notice as part of the banner image at the top of what is believed to be Mangione’s X profile, where Breloom sat alongside a picture of him and another picture of an X-ray that appears to be a spinal fusion procedure.
    Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
  • In the photo, Gomez, wearing a fuzzy fashion-Yeti top, appears to be admiring her new engagement ring but said nothing about the fast food merch beside her.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • If corporate leaders complain about these directives’ effects on their bottom lines, Trump’s team could force CISA to scale back its use of this authority.
    Eric Geller, WIRED, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Each person has a part to play in the overall goal, and each person’s goals can scale up and down from hourly to a five-year trajectory.
    Ciarán McArdle, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Accommodation in the valley reaches its zenith at Bruma Wine Resort, a masterpiece of sustainable architecture where modernist design meets natural beauty.
    Shelby Knick, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
  • To that point, the job of an editor has evolved considerably since Graydon Carter, Anna Wintour and Tina Brown created the paradigm in the turn-of-the-century zenith of magazines.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • This was a story about someone who had identified an obstacle and, through dogged accounting, surmounted it.
    Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
  • The Quad’s ability to surmount these limitations is critical, in part because the group’s durability hinges on its ability to deliver on its promises.
    Dhruva Jaishankar, Foreign Affairs, 19 May 2022
Noun
  • On March 1, 2021, the abusive behavior reached its peak, alleges the family.
    Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 8 Dec. 2024
  • Geomagnetic activity is also expected to ramp up over the next couple of years, with a potential peak in late 2025 before peaking again in 2027 and 2028, according to NASA.
    Ty Roush, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • How can breast cancer support groups help patients and survivors?
    Sam Manzella, Flow Space, 30 Sep. 2024
  • Advertisement Cronin doesn’t feel like a marathoner who has breasted the tape so much as one in the middle of a race.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near summit

Cite this Entry

“Summit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summit. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on summit

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