apex
1 Americannoun
plural
apexes, apices-
the tip, point, or vertex; summit.
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climax; peak; acme.
His election to the presidency was the apex of his career.
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Astronomy. solar apex.
noun
noun
-
the highest point; vertex
-
the pointed end or tip of something
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a pinnacle or high point, as of a career, etc
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Also called: solar apex. astronomy the point on the celestial sphere, lying in the constellation Hercules, towards which the sun appears to move at a velocity of 20 kilometres per second relative to the nearest stars
acronym
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Advance Purchase Excursion: a reduced airline or long-distance rail fare that must be paid a specified number of days in advance
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(in Britain) Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical, and Computer Staff
Etymology
Origin of apex1
Borrowed into English from Latin around 1595–1605
Origin of APEX2
First recorded in 1970–75; A(dvance) P(urchase) Ex(cursion)
Explanation
When there's no mountain left to climb and nothing but blue sky above, you know you've reached the highest peak — the apex. Apex can mean the highest point in a literal sense, like climbing to the apex of the Eiffel Tower for a fabulous view of Paris. It also can be used to mean the highest point in a figurative sense. An actor who wins an Oscar can say she's reached the apex of her career. If you're describing more than one high point, you could add an -es to form the plural apexes, but apices would also be correct. And if you're a botanist, you'd probably use apex to describe the tip of a flower or leaf.
Vocabulary lists containing apex
"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Four
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Ender's Game
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50th Anniversary of the March on Washington: "Trying to Inspire a New Generation" by Trip Gabriel
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Following the re-introduction of the sea eagle, the only other UK apex predator, Scottish farmers reported having to abandon their hill farms after the birds decimated their lamb populations.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Another side features a curving surface descending from the apex for winter sledding.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
California’s wolves are steadily increasing, a stunning turn of fortune for the apex predators who were wiped out by hunters and trappers about a century ago.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
Rather than trying to buy stocks at the apex of fear based off VIX signals, consider integrating gas prices into your decision-making.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
Only Missandei remained, a forlorn little ghost haunting the queen’s chambers at the apex of the pyramid.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
