height

noun

\ ˈhīt

, nonstandard ˈhītth

Definition of height

1a : the part that rises or extends upward the greatest distance : the highest part : summit reached the height of the mountain

b : the most advanced or extreme point of something : zenith at the height of his powers during the height of the violence

2a : the distance from the bottom to the top of someone or something standing upright estimating the height of a tree a woman of average height six feet in height

b : the extent of elevation above a level The land reaches a height of 600 feet above sea level.

3 : the condition of being tall or extending upward a great distance He was surprised by her height. other ball players who have more height

4a : an extent of land rising to a considerable degree above the surrounding country

b : a point or position that is advanced or extreme or that extends upward a great distance : a high point or position afraid of heights the heights and depths of love

5 obsolete : an advanced social rank

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about height

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Choose the Right Synonym for height

height, altitude, elevation mean vertical distance either between the top and bottom of something or between a base and something above it. height refers to something measured vertically whether high or low. a wall two meters in height 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

Examples of height in a Sentence

What's the height of the building? These bushes grow to heights of up to five feet. a woman of average height We were measured for height and weight. The ride has a height requirement. You have to be four feet tall to ride. I was surprised by his height. The land reaches a height of 600 feet above sea level.

Recent Examples on the Web In May 2020, at the height of San Francisco’s covid shutdown, Slack employee Kendall Fallon packed up and moved to Dallas. — Washington Post, 4 June 2021 An intervention by Israel's attorney general at the height of the unrest has put the most imminent evictions on hold. — Joseph Krauss, Star Tribune, 4 June 2021 At the height of the pandemic, more than two thirds of the world's commercial aircraft were grounded and sent to storage facilities around the world. — Karla Cripps, CNN, 3 June 2021 At the height of his wealth and celebrity, Mr. Bailey maintained offices in Boston, New York, and Florida, and owned an interest in dozens of airplanes, helicopters, vintage cars, and boats. — BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2021 As the pandemic begins to ease, many hospitals are updating their visiting policies; at the height of the virus, visitors were in some places completely restricted. — Alison Bowen, chicagotribune.com, 3 June 2021 The show shot at the height of the pandemic in town. — Ramin Zahed, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2021 In 2000, Martin appeared in an interview with Barbara Walters at the height of his fame. — Andrea Towers, EW.com, 2 June 2021 The Beveridge Report, published in the UK in November 1942 at the height of the war, provided the foundations for the welfare state. — Edward Webster, Quartz, 2 June 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'height.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Learn More about height

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Last Updated

9 Jun 2021

Cite this Entry

“Height.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/height. Accessed 16 Jun. 2021.

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More Definitions for height

height

noun

English Language Learners Definition of height

: a measurement of how tall a person or thing is : the distance from the bottom to the top of a person or thing

: the condition of being tall

: the distance above a level or surface

See the full definition for height in the English Language Learners Dictionary

height

noun

\ ˈhīt

Kids Definition of height

1 : the distance from the bottom to the top of something standing upright

2 : distance upward

3 : the highest point or greatest degree She was at the height of her career.

Choose the Right Synonym for height

height, altitude, and elevation mean distance upward. height may be used in measuring something from bottom to top. The wall is ten feet in height. altitude is used in measuring the distance above a fixed level. A plane was flying at a low altitude. elevation is used in measuring the height to which something is raised. The elevation of the tower is 300 feet.

height

noun

\ ˈhīt

, ˈhītth

Medical Definition of height

: the distance from the bottom to the top of something standing upright especially : the distance from the lowest to the highest point of an animal body especially of a human being in a natural standing position or from the lowest point to an arbitrarily chosen upper point a man six feet in height a dog two feet in height at the shoulder