tall

1 of 2

adjective

ˈtȯl 

1

a

: high in stature

b

: of a specified height

five feet tall

2

a

: of considerable height

tall trees

b

: long from bottom to top

a tall book

c

: of a higher growing variety or species of plant

3

a

: large or formidable in amount, extent, or degree

a tall order to fill

b

: pompous, high-flown

… tall talk about the vast mysteries of life …

—W. A. White

c

: highly exaggerated : incredible, improbable

a tall story

4

obsolete : brave, courageous

tall adverb

tallish

ˈtȯ-lish 

adjective

tallness

ˈtȯl-nəs 

noun

see also:

stand tall

tallness

2 of 2

noun

tall·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being tall

Synonyms of tall

Adjective

• high
• towering

Choose the Right Synonym for tall

high, tall, lofty mean above the average in height.

high implies marked extension upward and is applied chiefly to things which rise from a base or foundation or are placed at a conspicuous height above a lower level.

a high hill

a high ceiling

tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness.

a tall thin man

lofty suggests great or imposing altitude.

lofty mountain peaks

Examples of tall in a Sentence

Adjective

All the children in my family grew up to be very tall.

My mother is short but my father is fairly tall.

The giraffe is the tallest animal.

The drinks were served in tall glasses.

She is five feet tall.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Saying white players such as Clark or Bueckers should pay homage to their Black peers is as absurd as saying Steph Curry and Jalen Brunson should pay homage to their tall peers. — Matt Calkins Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026

On a map on the agency’s website where the agency posts updates of wall construction across the entire southern border, a photo showed a crane lifting one of the 30-foot-tall steel wall panels into place while construction workers looked on. — Rebecca Santana, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026

Queen Anne’s lace is typically shorter than poison hemlock, says Huddleston, growing about 1 to 4 feet tall. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 18 Sep. 2026

The 55-foot-tall cowboy is sporting a new outfit for the 2026 edition of the fair. — Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English tal, probably from Old English getæl quick, ready; akin to Old High German gizal quick

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing tall

• stand tall
• tall boy
• tall fescue
• tall oil
• tall order
• tall order to fill
• tall ship
• tall tale/story
• walk tall

Rhymes for tall

• ahl
• all
• aul
• bawl
• brawl
• call
• caul
• crawl
• dol
• doll
• drawl
• fall

Kids Definition

tall

adjective

ˈtȯl 

1

a

: having unusually great height

b

: of a specified height

five feet tall

2

a

: large in amount, extent, or degree

a tall order to fill

b

: greatly exaggerated : improbable

a tall tale

tall adverb

tallness noun