high-water mark

American  

[hahy-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈhaɪˈwɔ tər, -ˈwɒt ər /

noun

1. a mark showing the highest level reached by a body of water.

2. the highest point of anything; acme.

   Her speech was the high-water mark of the conference.

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high-water mark British  

noun

1. 1. the level reached by sea water at high tide or by other stretches of water in flood

   2. the mark indicating this level

2. the highest point

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high-water mark Idioms  

1. The peak of something, especially an achievement. For example, This composition is the high-water mark of his entire output. This expression alludes to the highest mark left on shore by the tide. [Mid-1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of high-water mark

First recorded in 1545–55

Example Sentences

Nextpower is on pace for a record closing high, poised to surpass the previous high-water mark of $130.42 from March 25, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

Soon, we were back on the vaporetto for a sunset ride to Al Covo, the culinary high-water mark of our family trip to Venice a decade earlier—and our parents’ honeymoon 25 years before that.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Wall Street has been throwing in some strong stock-market bets for 2026, but the high-water mark just got higher.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 26, 2025

They've come to see that moment of celebration after the inquests as their high-water mark.

From BBC • Sep. 15, 2025

We rescued a big floating plank and carried it up the beach above high-water mark.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

Related Words

• apex
• apogee
• upper limit