1
as in pinnacle
the highest part or point
the acme of their basketball season was their hard-won victory over last year's state champs
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2
as in apotheosis
the most perfect type or example
a movie that has come to be regarded as the acme of the Hollywood musical
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Recent Examples of acme
By 1998, when Lewis H. Lapham filed two reports on the WEF for this magazine, globalization and its political sister, Third Way politics, were at their acme.
—
Caitlín Doherty, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The sentence on Cafe Kestrel’s menu is the battle cry of the heroic rabbit Bigwig, shouted in righteous rage at the leader of the enemy tribe of rabbits, at the acme of the story’s great climactic battle.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2024
The Dior headquarters on the Avenue Montaigne, where the house’s presentations unfolded, were a polished foil to his clothes: gray rooms that were the acme of Belle Époque chic.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2024
Liang’s political writings reached something of a creative acme in exile, where he was energized by Japanese intellectuals and their bountiful translations of Western texts.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 30 July 2024
The Iraq war, which began 20 years ago, represents the acme of American military folly—second only to the Vietnam War.
—Andrew J. Bacevich, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023
This is the acme of the true fantasy—not attracting a young man with chiseled cheekbones, perfect teeth, and the ability to wear a thick cardigan on a very hot day without even a bead of sweat—but actually being noticed.
—Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 1 May 2024
Compared to previous off-year elections with the same types of races on the ballot, Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all had their highest turnout since at least 2011, and Kentucky and Virginia came very close to matching their turnout acmes from 2019.
—Tia Yang, ABC News, 21 Dec. 2023
Instead, Trump best serves as a sort of touchstone for understanding McMahon’s particular vein of post-truth, and the acme of society’s larger embrace of the same.
—Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023
Caitlín Doherty, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The sentence on Cafe Kestrel’s menu is the battle cry of the heroic rabbit Bigwig, shouted in righteous rage at the leader of the enemy tribe of rabbits, at the acme of the story’s great climactic battle.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2024
The Dior headquarters on the Avenue Montaigne, where the house’s presentations unfolded, were a polished foil to his clothes: gray rooms that were the acme of Belle Époque chic.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2024
Liang’s political writings reached something of a creative acme in exile, where he was energized by Japanese intellectuals and their bountiful translations of Western texts.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 30 July 2024
The Iraq war, which began 20 years ago, represents the acme of American military folly—second only to the Vietnam War.
—Andrew J. Bacevich, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023
This is the acme of the true fantasy—not attracting a young man with chiseled cheekbones, perfect teeth, and the ability to wear a thick cardigan on a very hot day without even a bead of sweat—but actually being noticed.
—Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 1 May 2024
Compared to previous off-year elections with the same types of races on the ballot, Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all had their highest turnout since at least 2011, and Kentucky and Virginia came very close to matching their turnout acmes from 2019.
—Tia Yang, ABC News, 21 Dec. 2023
Instead, Trump best serves as a sort of touchstone for understanding McMahon’s particular vein of post-truth, and the acme of society’s larger embrace of the same.
—Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acme
Noun
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The golf tournament also runs alongside the NCAA Tournament Final Four starting Saturday, April 5 in San Antonio where all four No. 1 seeds won Elite Eight games to advance to college basketball’s pinnacle at the Final Four.—
Jay Ginsbach,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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With big briny flavors, blue cheese, and crushed olives with lemon, this is truly the pinnacle of appetizers and belongs next to any charcuterie board.—
Erin Hooker,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The real prize at this feast, however, will be those molecules that most efficiently store energy, your fatty acids, so that the caloric orgy reaches its apotheosis in that fattiest of all your organs, that thing which seemed most you: your brain.—
Cutter Wood,
Harper's Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
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To experience the apotheosis of Germany’s Spargel-love, a trip to the famed Spargelfests in regions such as Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Lower Saxony is in order.—
Yolanda Evans,
AFAR Media,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Kitamura’s actor, too, has achieved a kind of creative and professional zenith only after renouncing the prospect of such a home, and Xavier’s claim suddenly confronts her with the alternative reality of being a very different kind of character: a mother.—
Jordan Kisner,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2025
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Simon Fisher-Becker, who reached a career zenith in the original Harry Potter film and Doctor Who on television, died on Sunday, March 9.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Claire is organized, practical and always striving for perfection, which is very Virgoan.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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The most interesting thing about the Netflix series Adolescence isn’t the great acting, the technological feats of filming, or the surreal perfection of 15-year-old actor Owen Cooper.—
Avivah Wittenberg-Cox,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The future of women’s boxing is now, and MVP is proud to lead the charge in taking the sport to unprecedented heights.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2025
-
This change makes the full height of the screen available for displaying photos rather than reserving a bar at the bottom just for buttons.—
Paul Monckton,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
All of them are classics that result in a total five points.—
Marilú Almaguer,
Glamour,
10 Apr. 2025
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No look has to be permanent, and with 2025’s most popular looks leaning into avant-garde classics, taking your hair to a new height is this season’s most palpable trends.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In the top of the seventh inning Friday, Harvey jogged in from the bullpen.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
5 Apr. 2025
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In times of great uncertainty, regions that adapt, innovate and respond smartly to changing times rise to the top.—
Eric J. Gertler,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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On top of that, when your roots and pillow are damp, that creates a moist, warm breeding ground ideal for Malassezia yeast, which in excess, can cause dandruff, per Dr. Cheng, or an inflammatory skin condition called seborrheic dermatitis (characterized by itchy, greasy patches).—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
8 Apr. 2025
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This Anker power bank stores up to two full charges for your phone and has a USB-C port ideal for fast charging.—
Jordyn Burrell,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Acme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acme. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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