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
Reuters reported this year that no one from the U.S. AI Safety Institute’s staff would attend an AI summit in Paris in February alongside Vice President JD Vance. —Bruna Horvath, NBC news, 4 June 2025 Italy's Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano, produced a spectacularly explosive eruption yesterday, sending reddish clouds rippling from its summit. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 June 2025
Verb
On July 13, the 22-year-old from Crozet, Virginia, summited 11,000-foot Hidden Peak at Snowbird ski resort above Salt Lake City. —Andy Wacker, Outside Online, 18 May 2025 Having suffered significant trauma following the avalanche that nearly wiped out their 1975 expedition, Tabei showed enormous courage and resilience to summit Everest just a few days later. —Jenny Hall, CNN Money, 14 May 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
  • 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
Definition of pinnacle
Verb
  • The Rooms The resort's 148 guest rooms and 40 suites ascend toward the ocean in different tiers on flourishing mountainsides.
    — Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2025
  • Per the chart below, this would take NFLX past an ascending trendline starting from its December highs.
    — Schaeffer's Investment Research, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of ascend
Noun
  • Nate Lewis had four hits and three RBIs, including the tiebreaker in the top of the ninth. Crespi 4, Mater Dei 3: Mikey Martinez hit a three-run home run and Jackson Eisenhauer threw two hits of shutout relief with four strikeouts.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
  • Still, another factor should always rise to the top of the list: relationships.
    — Shirin Ali, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Definition of top
Verb
  • Tracking and Iterating: Use impact reporting to refine and scale programs effectively.
    — Raghvendra Tripathi, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • Rightly so, because the queue is an attraction unto itself – jaw-dropping, built to scale and packed with details from the films.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Definition of scale
Noun
  • Valerie Mahaffey, who reached a career zenith in 1992 with an Emmy win for Best Supporting actress in a Drama Series for Northern Exposure, died on May 30 after losing her battle with cancer.
    — Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • My disappointment at just missing the zenith of this color riot is quickly replaced by a strongly sweet aroma that floods my nose while passing through Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort’s imposing entrance.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 May 2025
Definition of zenith
Verb
  • The 3-1 deficit proved too much for the Dodgers to surmount — ending a day that had begun with so much optimism around Ohtani’s two-way talents with a dud of a performance and frustrating series loss in Queens.
    — Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025
  • Hosted by Manu Bennett, the series followed a group of contestants tasked with climbing a treacherous mountain, all while surmounting mental and social challenges.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
Definition of surmount
Noun
  • Chance of lightning increases as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is overhead.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 31 May 2025
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2025
Definition of peak
Verb
  • Its superiority was passed like a shibboleth among food connoisseurs: Thighs are juicier, tastier, are almost half the price—preferable in just about every way to the boneless, skinless, flavorless breasts that reign supreme in America.
    — Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2025
  • How can breast cancer support groups help patients and survivors?
    — Sam Manzella, Flow Space, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of breast

Browse Nearby Words

summing up
summit
summited
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Cite this Entry

“Summit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summit. Accessed 10 Jun. 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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