pinnacle

1 of 2

noun

pin·​na·​cle ˈpi-ni-kəl How to pronounce pinnacle (audio)
1
: an upright architectural member generally ending in a small spire and used especially in Gothic construction to give weight especially to a buttress
2
: a structure or formation suggesting a pinnacle
specifically : a lofty peak
3
: the highest point of development or achievement : acme

Illustration of pinnacle

Illustration of pinnacle
  • P pinnacle 1

pinnacle

2 of 2

verb

pinnacled; pinnacling ˈpi-ni-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce pinnacle (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to surmount with a pinnacle
2
: to raise or rear on a pinnacle

Did you know?

Pinnacle is one of several words that aspire to both literal and figurative heights. Others include summit, peak, climax, apex, acme, and culmination. All of these can refer to the highest point of a mountain or structure, or the highest point attained or attainable over a person's lifetime, career, etc. When referring to part of a building, pinnacle describes a projection on top of a tower (as on a Gothic cathedral). The word derives via Anglo-French from Late Latin pinnaculum, meaning "small wing," a diminutive of pinna, meaning "wing or battlement." When used figuratively, pinnacle sometimes implies a dizzying and insecure height, such as that brought on by unexpected fame.

Choose the Right Synonym for pinnacle

summit, peak, pinnacle, climax, apex, acme, culmination mean the highest point attained or attainable.

summit implies the topmost level attainable.

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

peak suggests the highest among other high points.

an artist working at the peak of her powers

pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height.

the pinnacle of worldly success

climax implies the highest point in an ascending series.

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge.

the apex of Dutch culture

acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing.

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective.

the culmination of years of effort

Examples of pinnacle in a Sentence

Noun a singer who has reached the pinnacle of success
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Wabi-style tea perhaps reached its pinnacle in the 16th century, when the celebrated tea master Sen no Rikyū introduced innovations still used today. Paul S. Atkins, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2024 In the national imagination, San Francisco is often cast as the pinnacle of blue state America. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 And of course that observation was central to the formulation of Kepler’s laws, which together with Galileo’s study of pendula and falling bodies, all this led to the pinnacle of the scientific revolution: Newton’s formulation of classical mechanics and the laws of gravitation. Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The performance reached its pinnacle with the students performing In Creases, choreographed by SAB alumnus Justin Peck, and a Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux performed by alumni and New York City Ballet principal dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia. Maia Torres, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024 This accolade is a testament to his enduring artistic journey spanning two decades, reaching its pinnacle in the past two years with the widespread acclaim of his hits across various music platforms. Hala Mustafa, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2024 Thomas is a world-class professional athlete competing at the pinnacle of one of the toughest endurance sports. Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 24 Feb. 2024 Partners and managing partners are at the pinnacle of decision-making within a VC firm. Ryan Howard, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 This moment was the pinnacle of Simon’s career, the apex of his life’s work. Karl Schroeder, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Feb. 2024
Verb
Mark Margolis, the longtime character actor whose career pinnacled with unforgettable arcs on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has died at the age of 83. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2023 One father, two sons, all coaching their teams to pinnacle moments of their seasons. Matt Goul, cleveland, 19 Mar. 2021 At the start of 2015, Hollar's weight pinnacled at 678. Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, 4 Feb. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pinnacle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pinacle, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin pinnaculum small wing, gable, from Latin pinna wing, battlement

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinnacle was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near pinnacle

Cite this Entry

“Pinnacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinnacle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pinnacle

noun
pin·​na·​cle
ˈpin-i-kəl
1
: a slender tower generally coming to a point at the top
2
: a high pointed peak
3
: the highest point of achievement or development

More from Merriam-Webster on pinnacle

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