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

Fewer people were displaced by the fire and power outage at a high-rise apartment building in St. Paul than Skyline Tower officials initially thought. —Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 29 Oct. 2025

Nearly 70% of Milwaukee's high-rise buildings were constructed before sprinklers were required by state law, city officials say. —Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025

Noun

Much of this lovely, cerebral film unfolds in a cozy Manhattan high-rise, a Christmas tree twinkling in the background as snow falls outside. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025

The pants have a high-rise silhouette and multiple decorative and functional pockets on both the front and back. —Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 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