high-wire

adjective

ˈhī-ˌwī(-ə)r 

1

: involving great risk

a financial high-wire act

2

: daring

high-wire prose

Examples of high-wire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Part of the high-wire act of such books is that the authors and their publishers work at unaccustomed speed to provide the end product with a history-as-it-is-happening varnish. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 23 June 2026

Sydney Sweeney deserves something for all of the high-wire psychosexual chaos Sam Levinson put her through on Euphoria. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026

That tonal high-wire act extended throughout the series beyond the music and into the work of the entire post-production sound team. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 June 2026

There is no more compelling high-wire act in the oil-and-gas industry today than this oil heiress’ all-in bet on an ultra-deep well that no one else would touch, after 20 years of disappointments and disasters in the area. — Christopher Helman, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for high-wire

• admire
• afire
• aspire
• backfire
• esquire
• expire
• haywire
• hellfire
• inquire
• inspire
• newswire
• perspire