high-rise

1 of 2

adjective

ˈhī-ˈrīz 

1

: being multistory and equipped with elevators

high-rise apartments

2

: of, relating to, or characterized by high-rise buildings

a high-rise complex

3

: having a longer than standard rise (see rise entry 2 sense 7)

high-rise jeans

There are boxer shorts, low-rise briefs, high-rise briefs, … and colors galore.

—Nancy Lawson

high-rise

2 of 2

noun

ˈhī-ˌrīz 

variants or less commonly high rise

plural high-rises also high rises

: a building (such as an apartment building) that has multiple stories and is equipped with elevators

They live on the tenth floor of a high-rise.

Examples of high-rise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But one of the highest aspirations for this high-rise hospital is to give patients a sense of control. —Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Oct. 2025

The stadium is directly across the street from the property Trump plans to use for a high-rise presidential library after a state board voted to give the Miami Dade College land to Trump’s presidential library foundation for free with few strings attached. —Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2025

Noun

The Low-Rise Trouser At a certain point, squeezing your body and belly into high-rise trousers becomes impossible. —Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2025

Where its predecessor dominated this corner of north west London, now Wembley feels like an afterthought amid a sea of high-rises. —Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun

1962, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

high-rise

adjective

ˈhī-ˈrīz

: having several stories and being equipped with elevators

high-rise apartments

high-rise noun