Meaning & use
zeniths
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“zeniths” is a form of “zenith”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountablefigurative
The highest point or most successful moment of something.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a zenith, the zenith, or zeniths for more than one.
Patterns
- the zenith of something
- reach its zenith
- at its zenith
The company reached its zenith in the 1990s, before online rivals appeared.
Her career was at its zenith when she won the national prize.
Many empires have had several zeniths separated by long periods of decline.
nouncountabletechnical
The point in the sky directly above a person or place.
Grammar: Technical and countable: often used with the, as in the zenith.
Patterns
- the zenith
- at the zenith
- the zenith of the sun
At noon the sun stood at its zenith, casting almost no shadow.
The star passes near the zenith on summer evenings.
Astronomers measure the angle between a star and the zenith.
Word forms
| singular | zenith |
|---|
Common combinations
- reach its zenith
- The movement reached its zenith just before the war.
- at the zenith of
- He was at the zenith of his powers as a writer.
- the zenith of civilization
- Historians debate when the zenith of that civilization occurred.
- past its zenith
- The industry is well past its zenith now.
Synonyms and how they differ
- peak
- Peak is more common in everyday speech and often used for prices, traffic, or fitness; zenith sounds more literary or formal.
- pinnacle
- Pinnacle also means the highest point, but it often suggests a summit you have climbed to, especially in a career or an achievement.
- summit
- Summit is used for the top of a mountain or a meeting of leaders; it is less common for a period of greatest success.
Opposites
Word family
- zenithal adjective
- Relating to the zenith or the point directly overhead.
Commonly confused: zeniths or nadir? zeniths or zenithal?
zeniths vs nadir
Nadir is the opposite of zenith: the lowest point. Do not use zenith when you mean the worst moment.
zeniths vs zenithal
Zenithal is the adjective; zeniths is the plural noun. Use zenithal before a noun, as in a zenithal angle.
Practice
The opposite of "zeniths" is:
Choose one answer.
Nadir means the lowest point, so nadirs is the opposite of zeniths. Peaks, summits, and pinnacles all mean high points, so they are closer to synonyms than opposites.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “zeniths”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.