Definition of elevationnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun elevation contrast with its synonyms?

The words altitude and height are common synonyms of elevation. While all three words mean "vertical distance either between the top and bottom of something or between a base and something above it," altitude and elevation apply to height as measured by angular measurement or atmospheric pressure; altitude is preferable when referring to vertical distance above the surface of the earth or above sea level; elevation is used especially in reference to vertical height on land.

fly at an altitude of 10,000 meters
Denver is a city with a high elevation

When can height be used instead of elevation?

The words height and elevation can be used in similar contexts, but height refers to something measured vertically whether high or low.

a wall two meters in height

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of elevation Located in the far northern part of the state at an elevation of 14,179 feet, Mount Shasta is the fifth tallest peak in California and the second tallest peak in the Cascade Range. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 His itinerary includes a stopover in Cuzco in the Peruvian Andes, which is at an elevation of 11,000 feet. — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026 These higher sea levels can reach higher elevations and last longer. — Gary Griggs, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026 The Hill Country setting is both manicured and rugged, with subtle elevation changes offering long views across the surrounding landscape. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elevation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elevation
Noun
  • The race will be branded the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, the country’s tourism-promotion brand.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Since retaking the pitch in 2018-19, Belenenses has clawed its way back to relevance, winning five consecutive promotions.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • On a slight hill, wooden bench swings hover over the ground, overlooking many of the park’s trails.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Just a half-hour north of San Diego, the property is comprised of over 600 acres of hills, meadows, Japanese gardens, and citrus groves, including 30 miles of private hiking trails and five acres of bio-intensive gardens.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The fifth-rounder from Texas permitted a TD catch by Jets 6-5 tight end Mason Taylor, who had a five-inch height advantage, but that was the only completion against him.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
  • SpaceX is shooting for new heights with its upcoming Starship test flight, and the booster tapped for the mission is in its final stretch of preparations before the mission.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Dinner is more convivial; patients plan trips to nearby towns or ascents of local hills together.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • If Tampa Bay doesn’t have Baker Mayfield this could be an easier win, but Mayfield or not, the Panthers should continue their recent momentum as Bryce Young continues his ascent to the upper tier of NFL QBs this season.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But despite this, they were still conceived of as being located within the mounds themselves, real-world anchors for these strange, marvelous realms.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Maybe Ohtani will accept surrendering the mound if he is handed a spot in the outfield?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The instigating weather system bringing the risk to the Southwest is an upper-level low — or a high altitude pocket of cold air, low pressure and spin.
    — Jamie Ross, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The design could eventually scale up to a high altitude platform system (HAPS) capable of lifting payloads as heavy as 551 pounds (250 kilograms).
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Compensation and advancement below the partner level can’t just be about minimizing cost.
    — Tim Brackney, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • At the same time, Anthropic has landed at the center of ongoing concerns over the breakneck pace of AI advancement.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The bear was also recently featured in Southern Living — for a few months each fall, a local mountain casts a shadow shaped like a bear onto the fall foliage below.
    — Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This innovation—the mass manufacture of ammonia, vastly more efficient than scraping guano off remote islands or grinding mountains of bison bones—removed the most critical nutrient bottleneck in global agriculture.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Elevation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elevation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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