a historical high

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a historical high" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to a peak value that surpasses all previous levels of measurement. For example, "This year, the stock market reached a historical high."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

Under Mr. Eisner, Disney's share price hit a historical high of $43.63 in April 2000.

The New York Times

Despite her loss, Le Pen's score marked a historical high point for the French right.

The Guardian

The findings come at a time when census data shows the number of single adults is at a historical high in the United States.

The New York Times

Now, with the Dow 7,000 points higher and taxes at a historical high as a percentage of GDP, it's hard to argue that taxes cripple an economy.

Harvard University

The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that for the second year in a row the number of journalists imprisoned for their work has reached a historical high.

Columbia University

But the authors say that sex ratios have suddenly become critical because technology that enables women to abort female fetuses has allowed the numbers of males to reach a historical high.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

What is known is that Alphonso, second son of Hamish McDool, 17th Earl D'Aberdeen, made his first fortune before the age of 30 by cornering the world's supply of feldspar at a time when the demand for aluminosilicate minerals was at an historical high.

Forbes

Indeed, several US veterans have written strident critiques of Junger's analysis, questioning his claim that PTSD rates are at an historical high and accusing him of downplaying evidence linking combat exposure to suicide.

The Guardian - Books

As is well-known now, the dollar hit all-time lows in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, with gold reaching an historical high at the time of $850/ounce in February of 1980.

Forbes

This is especially tragic when so much is at stake in this election and the unfavorability level of the two main candidates is at an historical high, leaving the American People close to no choice when in fact, there are viable candidates and choices on the ballot and who can be chosen with sufficient media exposure to learn of their positions.

Huffington Post

Canada's after tax/transfers Gini coefficient was 39.5 in 2010, an historical high; although most of this increase in inequality arose during the 1990s, the country ranked 25th of 30 OECD countries in inequality offsets in the late 2000s.

Globalization and Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a historical high", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being measured and its significance in reaching this peak. For instance, "The company's profits reached a historical high due to increased sales."

Common error

Be mindful of the difference between "historical" and "historic". "Historical" refers to anything related to the past, whereas "historic" denotes something significant or momentous. Use "a historical high" when referring to a high point in data or records; using "a historic high" incorrectly implies the high point itself is historically significant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a historical high" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or object in a sentence. It describes a situation where a particular metric or value has reached its highest recorded point in history. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

24%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a historical high" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed noun phrase utilized to denote a peak value in a given historical record. Ludwig AI confirms its accuracy and usability. It appears most often in News & Media, Science and Academia contexts. Related phrases include "a record peak" and "an all-time high", which offer similar meanings. When writing with this phrase, make sure your audience knows exactly what you are measuring and its historic significane. Be mindful of choosing the correct word "historical" rather than "historic" as they have very different use cases.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a record peak

This alternative replaces "high" with "peak", emphasizing the top point reached in a record.

a historical peak

This is very similar, interchanging 'high' and 'peak' maintaining historical context.

an all-time high

This emphasizes that the high point is the greatest ever recorded.

a record level

Replaces "high" with "level", focusing on the measured value rather than the peak itself.

a high point in history

Rephrases to highlight a significant moment or achievement in the past.

a historic milestone

Shifts the focus to a notable event or achievement of historical significance.

unprecedented level

Emphasizes the novelty and lack of prior occurrence of the high level.

the highest level on record

More verbose, but clearly indicates that the level is the highest ever documented.

peak in history

Simplified version highlighting both the peak and its historical context.

a benchmark achievement

Suggests that the high point sets a new standard or reference point.

FAQs

How do I use "a historical high" in a sentence?

You can use "a historical high" to describe a peak or record in data. For example, "The country's unemployment rate reached "a historical high" during the recession."

What's the difference between "a historical high" and "an all-time high"?

"A historical high" simply indicates a high point in recorded data, while "an all-time high" emphasizes that it's the highest point ever recorded in any period.

What are some alternatives to saying "a historical high"?

You can use alternatives like "a record peak", "a historical peak", or "a record level" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "an historical high"?

Both "a historical high" and "an historical high" are grammatically correct, but the former is generally more common. Using "an" before "historical" is acceptable, especially in British English.