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.
Under those sturdy leather exteriors, a Gore-tex liner keeps you high and dry, preventing water from entering while shedding unwanted moisture. Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2025 But as the river changes course the town could soon be left high and dry and that's fueling a border dispute with neighboring Peru. John Otis, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025 The American people overwhelmingly rate Social Security as the most important program in our country and oppose cuts that would leave our seniors high and dry. Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025 Max Monks was left high and dry when 16 Lots Brewing Co. shuttered its locations in Mason and Newport late last year. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 2 July 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 17 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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