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
Synonyms
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
Abruzzo described a back-and-forth that’s not unlike a David and Goliath story, if Goliath was simply trying to run out the clock and leave David high and dry.
—
Chloe Berger, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
To keep up, in what amounts to a race to the bottom of the diminishing reserves, richer farmers have been buying more powerful solar pumps, leaving the others high and dry or forcing them to buy water from their rich neighbors.
—Fred Pearce, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2024
But guests in balconies aren’t left totally high and dry.
—USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
The once bustling area is now surrounded by parched soil, with many boathouses high and dry.
—Fabiano Maisonnave, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2023
Their homes will be left high and dry when the reservoir is drained.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023
Things were going fine until Genesis, a DCG subsidiary that provided financing to Gemini Earn, filed for bankruptcy, leaving customers high and dry.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 14 Sep. 2023
Today, the Argus is still high and dry, with no launch date in sight.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes, 17 July 2023
To add insult to injury, the region has been left high and dry with no monsoon activity, which can help offset the blazing temperatures.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 July 2023
Chloe Berger, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
To keep up, in what amounts to a race to the bottom of the diminishing reserves, richer farmers have been buying more powerful solar pumps, leaving the others high and dry or forcing them to buy water from their rich neighbors.
—Fred Pearce, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2024
But guests in balconies aren’t left totally high and dry.
—USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
The once bustling area is now surrounded by parched soil, with many boathouses high and dry.
—Fabiano Maisonnave, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2023
Their homes will be left high and dry when the reservoir is drained.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023
Things were going fine until Genesis, a DCG subsidiary that provided financing to Gemini Earn, filed for bankruptcy, leaving customers high and dry.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 14 Sep. 2023
Today, the Argus is still high and dry, with no launch date in sight.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes, 17 July 2023
To add insult to injury, the region has been left high and dry with no monsoon activity, which can help offset the blazing temperatures.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'high and dry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near high and dry
Cite this Entry
“High and dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high%20and%20dry. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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