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
W. A. White
c
: highly exaggerated : incredible, improbable
a tall story
4
obsolete
: brave, courageous
Examples of tall in a Sentence
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
The Cloud, a 400-foot tall spherical structure, was also a finalist for a special observation deck at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Feb. 2026
To plant a mix of vegetables in them, plan to have taller plants in the back (like tomatoes supported with stakes) and smaller ones that might spill over the edge in front, like greens, lettuces, and herbs.
—Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 5 Feb. 2026
The 120-seat outdoor dining room and bar has a new foundation and flooring, as well as new 4-foot-tall perimeter glass wall and umbrella layout with LED lighting.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Different species of Prototaxites might have varied in size, but the largest would have really towered over the landscape at a time when plants were less than 1 meter tall, said Kevin Boyce, a professor of Earth and planetary sciences at Stanford University.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tall
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Feb. 2026
To plant a mix of vegetables in them, plan to have taller plants in the back (like tomatoes supported with stakes) and smaller ones that might spill over the edge in front, like greens, lettuces, and herbs.
—Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 5 Feb. 2026
The 120-seat outdoor dining room and bar has a new foundation and flooring, as well as new 4-foot-tall perimeter glass wall and umbrella layout with LED lighting.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Different species of Prototaxites might have varied in size, but the largest would have really towered over the landscape at a time when plants were less than 1 meter tall, said Kevin Boyce, a professor of Earth and planetary sciences at Stanford University.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tall
Cite this Entry
“Tall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tall. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tall
adjective1
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
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
