high-water

1 of 2

adjective

high-wa·​ter ˈhī-ˌwȯ-tər How to pronounce high-water (audio)
-ˌwä-
: unusually short
high-water pants

high water

2 of 2

noun

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

Examples of high-water in a Sentence

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
OpenAI's latest round marks the largest private financing in history and is a new high-water mark for late-stage tech company valuations. Ashley Capoot,kate Rooney, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026 The other films in the series scored a good deal higher, ranging from 2011’s Scream 4 (61 percent) to the high-water mark of 1997’s Scream 2 (83 percent). James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
The water commissioner called me in late May, typically high water runoff time, telling me to turn off our ditch. Pete McBride, Time, 27 Feb. 2026 The call for a moratorium comes as the Hays County Commissioners Court is set to discuss a possible temporary ban on large industrial projects with high water demands during its meeting Tuesday. Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 23 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for high-water

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1856, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of high-water was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“High-water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high-water. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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