summit 1 of 2

noun

ˈsə-mət How to pronounce summit (audio)
Definition of summitnext
as in pinnacle
the highest part or point a new movie that some enthusiastic reviewers are already calling the summit of cinematic achievement

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

summit

2 of 2

verb

as in to ascend

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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 summit
Noun
The summit was remarkable in part because of the shift in tone from the White House, which under previous administrations, including Trump 1.0, largely kept crypto companies and their volatile digital tokens sidelined. — Allison Morrow, CNN, 13 Mar. 2025 Reality check: Rules to control AI only work when most nations agree to them, Hassabis said, and that's only getting harder — as made clear by the summit's inconclusive outcome. — Ashley Gold, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
Veterans to climb Mount Everest Navy veteran Brian O’Malley, who was based in San Diego for 10 years, and his brother-in-law Steve McDaniel, an Air Force veteran and former police officer, are attempting to summit Mount Everest in June to honor military service members and first responders. — Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025 Preferably someone who’s never attempted to summit Kilimanjaro and has no interest in doing so. — Reid Pope, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for summit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summit
  1. pinnacle
  2. ascend
  3. top
  4. scale
  5. zenith
  6. surmount
  7. peak
  8. breast
Noun
  • Traditionally, family offices have long been seen as the pinnacle of private investment sophistication—highly sophisticated institutional level investors, dedicated to single or small groups of ultra-high-net-worth families to manage their fortunes across generations.
    — Francois Botha, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The hypocrisy of clutching pearls when whites committed 'cultural appropriation,' and then celebrating Black and Hispanic Founding Fathers is the pinnacle of absurdity!
    — Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of pinnacle
Verb
  • He still is considered to be a bit raw, an ascending player working to discover his maximum impact.
    — Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Anthony Mackie may have ascended to a new level of movie stardom with his latest film, Captain America: Brave New World, but parenting is still his biggest priority.
    — Lexi Carson, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of ascend
Noun
  • Encouraging managers to take action on department-specific feedback prevents issues from piling up at the top and makes solutions feel more personal and effective.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • And just before midnight, Duterte was back on a plane – this time bound for the Netherlands in what appeared to be a stunning end to a stormy and violent stint at the top of Philippine politics.
    — Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of top
Verb
  • In my experience, this is especially true of first-time and passionate entrepreneurs who have not yet learned how to manage the teams that are so critical to building and scaling their business to keep up with competitors and constantly changing customer demands.
    — Martin Zwilling, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Affordable housing challenges To salvage the project and avoid returning more than $24.6 million to the state, council members talked about either scaling back the project’s first phase or asking the state housing agency for more funding.
    — Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of scale
Noun
  • The era of Peak TV, characterized by an abundance of high-end fiction content, has reached its zenith.
    — Jamie Lang, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Dimash’s Parisian debut reached its zenith on November 5th, with an invitation to perform at a closed-door event hosted at the Élysée Palace, Dimash delivered a performance that seamlessly blended emotional depth and entertainment.
    — SPIN Contributor, SPIN, 17 Feb. 2025
Definition of zenith
Verb
  • Postal workers are renowned for surmounting odds, but one in North Carolina apparently drew the line at reaching past a snake to deliver the mail.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Without that essential training to help surmount powerful systemic barriers, the kit would have been useless—and in that sense, the job is still woefully unfinished.
    — Sheila McClear, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2025
Definition of surmount
Noun
  • Built almost entirely of wood (including wooden pegs instead of metal nails), the Black Hills chapel features six roofs that gradually rise to a peak.
    — Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • In the rankings of happiness haves and have-nots, the U.S. dropped to its lowest ever spot at No. 24, continuing its decline from a peak of the 11th place over a decade ago.
    — Peter Guo, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of peak
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
Definition of breast

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Cite this Entry

“Summit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summit. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on summit

Nglish: Translation of summit for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about summit

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