Meaning & use
watershed moment
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Meaning
nouncountablefigurative
A point in time that divides what came before from what follows, after which things are clearly and lastingly different.
Grammar: Often takes an or the and is followed by in or for: a watershed moment in her career.
Patterns
- a watershed moment in something
- a watershed moment for someone
Winning the scholarship was a watershed moment in her life.
The invention of the printing press was a watershed moment for education.
Many historians see the vote as a watershed moment for the country.
Word forms
| plural | watershed moments |
|---|
Common combinations
- mark a watershed moment
- The merger marked a watershed moment for the company.
- a watershed moment in history
- The moon landing was a watershed moment in history.
- reach a watershed moment
- The team reached a watershed moment when it won its first title.
- a true watershed moment
- Her speech was a true watershed moment for the movement.
Synonyms and how they differ
- turning point
- Turning point is the everyday equivalent and fits almost any change, while watershed moment sounds weightier and more dramatic.
- landmark
- A landmark is an important event that people remember, but it does not always change direction afterward.
- milestone
- A milestone marks progress along a path, whereas a watershed moment redirects the path.
- defining moment
- A defining moment reveals or shapes a person's character, while a watershed moment emphasizes a change in a situation.
Word family
- watershed noun
- a ridge dividing river systems, or a major turning point
- watersheds noun
- plural of watershed
Commonly confused: watershed moment or water shed?
watershed moment vs water shed
Written as two words, this would mean a shed for water, which is not the meaning here. The idiom is always watershed moment.
Practice
The court's decision was a ___ moment for civil rights, changing the law for decades.
Choose one answer.
Watershed moment is the fixed phrase for a lasting turning point. Passing and routine suggest something unimportant, and tidal moment is not an established expression.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “watershed moment”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.