Meaning & use

watershed moment

noun·Academic

A turning point after which a situation, era, or attitude changes significantly and permanently.

See it in a sentence

The invention of the internet was a watershed moment in how people communicate.

Winning that scholarship was a watershed moment that changed her entire career path.

A note on using this word

The term comes from geography, where a watershed marks the ridge separating waters flowing to different rivers.

Words with a similar meaning

turning pointmilestone

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