as in milestone
a point in a chain of events at which an important change (as in one's fortunes) occurs
a watershed moment in her life came when she inherited a reasonable sum of money and was able to start her own coffee shop
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as in pivotal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of watershed
Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Reising said the precipitation the state has received to date was 115% of average, with stronger figures in the northern portions of California’s watershed.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 2 Jan. 2025
In June, a spill at a mine owned by the Canadian company Victoria Gold contaminated a Yukon watershed with 2 million tonnes of material contaminated with cyanide, forcing the closure of the mine and leaving taxpayers with $111 million in restoration costs.
—Greg McKenna, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
Stocks of winter hay provided by nearby park managers also kept the animals in the area longer and may have likewise caused changes in the watershed, the researchers noted.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for watershed 
Noun
Mayor Karen Bass issued an emergency executive order Tuesday to shore up Los Angeles burn areas and protect watersheds ahead of potential rain.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Reising said the precipitation the state has received to date was 115% of average, with stronger figures in the northern portions of California’s watershed.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 2 Jan. 2025
In June, a spill at a mine owned by the Canadian company Victoria Gold contaminated a Yukon watershed with 2 million tonnes of material contaminated with cyanide, forcing the closure of the mine and leaving taxpayers with $111 million in restoration costs.
—Greg McKenna, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
Stocks of winter hay provided by nearby park managers also kept the animals in the area longer and may have likewise caused changes in the watershed, the researchers noted.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for watershed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watershed
Noun
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Meanwhile, there have been many articles and books commemorating the milestone; one of the latter made headlines Friday for a publicity gaffe involving Tina Fey and Jon Hamm.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
17 Feb. 2025
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The milestones piled up even before the album was finished.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The move could mark a pivotal shift in mobile connectivity, bridging the gap between traditional cell networks and satellite technology to ensure seamless coverage anywhere on Earth.—
Harshita Mary Varghese,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
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Acknowledging the growth that your partner is having will be pivotal to enduring the relationship.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Through an exclusive peek into the artist’s preparation process, audiences will observe all the little moments that culminate, leading to the climax of the show.—
Michaela Zee,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2025
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Lisa is still at the climax of this conflict, while Whitney is cooled off and ready to move on.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Who doesn’t want to know more about this historic Aurora landmark that opened as a hotel on Feb. 8, 1928?—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2025
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The 10-acre complex is such a landmark that visitors get their pictures taken in front of the plaque honoring Coleman in the main building.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The cultural, social, political, and technological shifts in this century could be epochal: manufacturing may or may not return to the United States; A.I. may or may not facilitate job loss on a vast scale—or, as some insist, an idyllic state of abundance.—
Anna Wiener,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
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And yet, Rich comments how Hubble's epochal discovery was actually relatively recent.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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After the court of public opinion gave him a decisive win in his spring rap feud with Drake, a Super Bowl halftime performance days away and an upcoming tour, Lamar is on a dominant winning streak.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
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Building a conservative infrastructure Powell captured the conservative zeitgeist at the onset of what would become a long and decisive right turn in American politics.—
Colin Gordon,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Harvey Frommer, a sports historian and reporter, puts the tale of that momentous game together using oral history, gathered from hundreds of interviews with players, coaches, media and spectators alike.—
Sophie Hanson,
StyleCaster,
9 Feb. 2025
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From the start, even during warmups, the 6-foot-7 senior forward realized a perfect emotional and physical backdrop that would end up foreshadowing a momentous performance.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Travis weeks earlier cited as the deciding and unprecedented factor.—
Chris Vannini,
The Athletic,
9 Dec. 2024
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As a result of the split, Sheboygan city residents play no deciding role in either of the two districts, which both lean heavily Republican.—
Journal Sentinel,
Journal Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near watershed
Cite this Entry
“Watershed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watershed. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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