as in milestone
a point in a chain of events at which an important change (as in one's fortunes) occurs
a watershed moment in her life came when she inherited a reasonable sum of money and was able to start her own coffee shop
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in pivotal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of watershed
Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 June 2025
Over 100 years ago, the land in the Shingle Creek watershed was platted and sold to people sight unseen.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025
But elsewhere in the watershed, on the lower Yuba River at Daguerre Point Dam, exists the point of contention.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2025
More than a dozen partner organizations showcase wildlife in the watershed.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for watershed
Adjective
Droughts in the Amazon River in 2023 and 2024 caused more nitrogen and phosphorus to build up in the watershed.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 June 2025
Over 100 years ago, the land in the Shingle Creek watershed was platted and sold to people sight unseen.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025
But elsewhere in the watershed, on the lower Yuba River at Daguerre Point Dam, exists the point of contention.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2025
More than a dozen partner organizations showcase wildlife in the watershed.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for watershed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watershed
Noun
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The chipmaker closed above that milestone Thursday as CNBC reported that the technology titan met with President Donald Trump.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
11 July 2025
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The club officially kicked off celebration of its milestone April 27 as past and current members gathered at the Point Loma Assembly Hall to reflect and look ahead.—
Madison Beveridge,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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This is the first of a six-part series looking at figures who have played a pivotal role in a modern football success story.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
3 July 2025
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Jota also notably became the first player in Wolves club history to score back-to-back European hat-tricks and was pivotal in their Europa League run.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 July 2025
Noun
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Is the Michelin star really in the bag, as Episode 3’s snowy climax would suggest?—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
1 July 2025
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The Capricorn full moon on July 10th brings a climax in your friendship or community life.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
30 June 2025
Noun
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To celebrate that landmark album turning 50, here’s one longtime Fleetwood Mac fan’s unabashedly subjective countdown of their best songs, from the massive pop hits that defined their most successful lineup to assorted album cuts and highlights of their earliest recordings. 40.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
11 July 2025
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The ruling in that case declared school segregation unconstitutional in California, a precedent later cited in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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What’s arguably even more remarkable is that unless something changes very soon, the humans making that epochal discovery might not be NASA and the American space scientists who power it.—
Adam Frank,
The Atlantic,
4 July 2025
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Like pretty much anyone who caught the epic Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz final at Roland Garros earlier this month, McEnroe seems to believe that tennis has found a rivalry to succeed the epochal tripartite struggle between Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The second set ultimately went all the way to a tiebreak, and after trading two mini-breaks apiece, the British pair gained a decisive two-point advantage, aided by a Pel double-fault.—
Leon Imber,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
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The idea that no one was born inherently superior, that status wasn’t tied to birth but to citizenship and shared rights, was a radical break in human history and a decisive rejection of Old World European ideology.—
Jared Nordlund,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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For the second year in a row, the 4th of July played host to a momentous musical release; coincidentally, the consecutive drops have come from the two guys who had the biggest rap beef of all time last year, Drake and Kendrick Lamar.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
7 July 2025
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Always this sense of momentous occasion for a challenge with diminishing returns and our perpetual disappointment?—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Instead, the person must show race was the crucial and deciding factor.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
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The bullpen gave up the lead on the first pitch, and then three more in the deciding 10th inning.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Watershed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watershed. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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