high-water

1 of 2

adjective

high-wa·​ter ˈhī-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

: unusually short

high-water pants

high water

2 of 2

noun

: a high stage of the water in a river or lake

also : high tide sense 1

Examples of high-water in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This was a high-water mark in their tracking, but the response was not significantly different from the earlier Post/Ipsos poll. —Karlyn Bowman, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

Clueless epitomizes the California-girl aesthetic that has mesmerized the world from Beach Blanket Bingo to the Go-Gos to Olivia Rodrigo, who once visited the Biden White House dressed in total Cher Horowitz drag, a key 2020s high-water mark in the Clueless legacy. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2025

Noun

Multiple rescue missions were underway at Gavilan Trailer Park in Ruidoso, and another person was also trapped in high water, the NWS said in its local storm report at 5:50 p.m. ET. —Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 8 July 2025

Please be alert, avoid high water and make smart decisions. —Connor Giffin, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1856, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for high-water

• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater
• granddaughter
• groundwater
• headwater