height

noun

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\ 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 Phrases Containing height Learn More About height

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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web In 1985, during the height of the AIDS epidemic, the FDA banned gay and bisexual men from ever donating blood. — Megan Molteni, STAT, 7 Aug. 2022 Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne's run as Roxie Hart in 2020 was cut short by the Broadway shutdown during the height of coronavirus pandemic. — Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Aug. 2022 Ordinary Greeks faced crippling unemployment that peaked at 28 percent during the height of their decade-long depression that ended just before the pandemic. — Elinda Labropoulou, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 She was appointed to the role during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to oversee the messaging strategy around Operation Warp Speed, the private-public partnership to get a vaccine to market in record time. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2022 All of this is confirmed in another study of the stimulus checks that were sent out during the height of the pandemic. — Roger Valdez, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 The perfect time to close down entire lines was during the height of the pandemic when hardly anyone was on public transit. — Shirley Leung, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2022 Even during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands still flocked to Florida's Brevard County to see launches. — Emre Kelly, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2022 The menu item, which costs about $4.49, was initially removed in November 2020 as part of a broader culling of the chain’s menu during the height of the pandemic. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 2 Aug. 2022 See More

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.

Learn More About height

Dictionary Entries Near height

heigh-ho

height

heighten

Statistics for height

Last Updated

8 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Height.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/height. Accessed 13 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for height

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