high and dry

adjective

1
: being out of reach of the current or tide or out of the water
2
: being in a helpless or abandoned position

Examples of high and dry in a Sentence

the inadequate supplies of vaccine left many people high and dry when the flu season arrived
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.
All these groups and more will be left high and dry, rolling the dice with every major decision. Kristin Reilly, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2025 Amid these challenges, many Gen Z members feel like they’ve been left high and dry when getting financial help. Jb Orecchia, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025 The first thing Beame did was to cut construction projects (Battery Park City, the 2nd Ave. subway line), leaving construction workers high and dry. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025 How much longer will the Navy be left high and dry? Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for high and dry

Word History

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of high and dry was in 1727

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Cite this Entry

“High and dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high%20and%20dry. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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