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

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
Zelenskyy will meet King Charles III on Sunday in addition to participating in the European leaders' summit, a spokesperson confirmed to ABC News. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025 The Ukrainian leader met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as planned, on Saturday, and is still set to attend the summit of European leaders in London on Sunday, focusing on Ukraine and European security. Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
You who summited your own mountain and brought us along with you. Stephanie Petit, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025 While filming a documentary on the mountain, a National Geographic team spotted the frozen foot and sock of Andrew Comyn Irvine, a British explorer who attempted to summit Everest with partner George Mallory. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for summit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summit
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
Verb
  • While Baylor football descended into football abyss, Joe’s career ascended in banking and private business.
    Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Feb. 2025
  • In the Vaca Range on the east side of the area, elevations rise to 1,400 feet and receive sun late in the day, while vineyards in the Mayacamas Mountains on the west side ascend to a more moderate 500 feet and benefit from afternoon shade.
    Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Jimmy Kimmel is momentarily pausing his ascent up Oscars host mountain (Bob Hope still sits comfortable at the top, having hosted the ceremony 19 times), handing over the mic to first-time host Conan O'Brien.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The blitz of diversity initiatives after Floyd's murder did little to change the demographics at the top of corporations.
    Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Enter our weeknight-friendly recipe, no boiling required and scaled down in size to make just enough for a dining duo—or one person, with enough left over for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner.
    Jessica Saari Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2025
  • And at this moment, walking into my room feels like scaling Everest to me—insurmountable.
    Amanda Nguyen, TIME, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • The era of Peak TV, characterized by an abundance of high-end fiction content, has reached its zenith.
    Jamie Lang, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • And especially to my father, Bruce Paltrow, who has surmounted insurmountable obstacles this year.
    Lydia Price, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Republicans have additional obstacles to surmount for their party-line bill, including figuring out where to make $2.5 trillion in spending cuts that were mandated by deficit hawks in exchange for a $1.5 trillion debt limit increase in the latest appropriations package passed in December.
    Tobias Burns, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The core motion module is capable of a maximum joint torque of 300 N·m, a peak torque density of 203 N·m/kg, and exceptional mobility with a walking speed of 2 m/s, along with a natural human-like gait.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
  • And this measured approach hasn’t softened prices across the board: the county remains a seller’s market, and overall luxury values remain near historic peaks.
    Spencer Elliott, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
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

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Cite this Entry

“Summit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summit. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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