high-hat

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of high-hatnext
high-hat transitive verb

high hat

2 of 2

noun

1
2
or hi-hat : a pair of cymbals operated by a foot pedal

Examples of high-hat in a Sentence

Adjective at the wedding reception the bride's high-hat relatives did their considerable best to ignore us several high-hat society types arrived after we did, but they got seated first
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The sand crackling against the screen door became a high-hat drum. Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025 Over the last few years, a bevy of high-hat hotels have begun competing for the Big Apple’s best guests. Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2025 The bass, high-hat, guitar, and vocals all remain distinct in this busy mix and benefit from strong detail when the track fully kicks in. PCMAG, 10 July 2024
Noun
Listen to Pete’s old s—t, it was formulated, the high hats, the horn. Angel Diaz, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2025 Instead of high hats, use wall washers, which bounce light off the walls and space. Adam Shell, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025 Deja stifled a yawn and cranked up her music; the warring bass and high hat thrummed in her chest and kept her mostly awake. Brittany N. Williams, NOLA.com, 26 Oct. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1924, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of high-hat was in 1885

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“High-hat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high-hat. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

high-hat

1 of 2 adjective
-ˈhat
: behaving like a snob

high-hat

2 of 2 verb
high-hatted; high-hatting
: to treat in a snobbish manner
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