pinnacle

noun pin·na·cle \ ˈpi-ni-kəl \

Updated on: 10 Dec 2017

Definition of pinnacle

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

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Examples of pinnacle in a Sentence

a singer who has reached the pinnacle of success

Recent Examples of pinnacle from the Web

The new Republican tax proposal is arguably the pinnacle of Paul D. Ryan’s legislative career, the culmination of years spent in the wonky trenches of conservative think tanks and esoteric congressional budget and tax debates.

— carl hulse, New York Times, "Paul Ryan Puts It All on the Line in Tax Fight," 4 Nov. 2017
But for Apple enthusiasts, the iPhone X may be the pinnacle.

— alyssa newcomb, NBC News, "iPhone X Is Here — Is This As Good As It Gets For Apple?," 3 Nov. 2017
The Washington rally was the pinnacle of a historic mobilization of American citizens known as the Save Darfur movement.

— justin lynch, Slate Magazine, "Darfur Wasn’t Saved," 11 Oct. 2017
New television ads feature GMC Denali trucks and SUVs -- the pinnacle of Professional Grade.

— terry troy, cleveland.com, "Local GMC dealers embrace "Like a Pro"," 8 Oct. 2017
The suit alleges that the UNOI used a hierarchical chain of command with Jenkins at the pinnacle.

— tony rizzo, kansascity, "‘Allah on Earth’ forced former KCK woman into ‘a childhood of trafficking,’ suit says," 19 Sep. 2017
For Francine Katz, reaching the executive suite within America's premiere brewing company was the pinnacle of a 14-year tenure.

— rebecca shapiro, Marie Claire, "Meet the Woman Suing Anheuser-Busch Over Equal Pay," 6 May 2014
But, this was the first one of those celebrations that marked the end of the season, the pinnacle of the sport.

— matt young, Houston Chronicle, "Inside look at Astros' first World Series champagne celebration," 2 Nov. 2017
Despite white supremacy’s persistence, the fact that a black man reached the pinnacle of American power is a legitimate source of joy for Coates.

— ismail muhammad, New Republic, "Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Uneasy Hope," 26 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pinnacle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.

Illustration of pinnacle

Origin and Etymology of pinnacle

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

pinnacle Synonyms

Synonyms

acme, apex, apogee, capstone, climax, crescendo, crest, crown, culmination, head, high noon, high tide, high-water mark, meridian, ne plus ultra, noon, noontime, peak, height, sum, summit, tip-top, top, zenith

Antonyms

bottom, nadir, rock bottom

Related Words

bloom, blossom, flood tide, flower, glory, heyday, prime; cap, ceiling, roof; extreme, extremity, tip, vertex; high, highlight, highspot

Near Antonyms

abyss, base, foot; minimum

Synonym Discussion of 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

Other Architecture Terms

buttress, casita, cornice, fanlight, garret, lintel, parapet, pilaster, plinth

pinnacle

verb

Definition of pinnacle

pinnacled; pinnacling play \ˈpi-ni-k(ə-)liŋ\

transitive verb

1 : to surmount with a pinnacle

2 : to raise or rear on a pinnacle

First Known Use of pinnacle

14th century

Other Architecture Terms

buttress, casita, cornice, fanlight, garret, lintel, parapet, pilaster, plinth

PINNACLE Defined for English Language Learners

pinnacle

noun

Definition of pinnacle for English Language Learners

: a high mountain top
: the best or most important part of something : the point of greatest success or achievement
: a tower on the roof of a building that comes to a narrow point at the top