peak experience

American  

noun

Psychology.

1. a high point in the life of a self-actualizer, during which the person feels ecstatic and more alive and whole than is usual.

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Etymology

Origin of peak experience

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

But at her restaurant Reem's California, chef Reem Assil keeps the peak experience of this staple Arab salad alive year-round.

From Salon • Aug. 8, 2022

But the thrill of the Pulitzer victory had a “dark side,” according to one staffer, the peak experience encouraging some journalists to retire and others to find jobs elsewhere.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2021

“Each of them has come up to me separately during the making of this album,” Wallace says, “and told me that recording it has been the peak experience of their life.”

From The Guardian • Aug. 27, 2018

In the 1970s, midwives like Ina May Gaskin introduced the idea that giving birth should be a peak experience of a woman’s life—that it should be a spiritual experience.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2016

The bands were really giving peak performances, the whole thing was over the top, the peak experience of my life.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 10, 2011