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

To fully commit, Nathan went on a date, as Corey, so that Corey himself could later get a kiss from the woman after the successful high-wire act. — Jenelle Riley, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

The high-wire act that followed—in which performers had to make these bland conceits into something funny without, ostensibly, preparing any jokes in advance—introduced a tension that made sketch shows feel sedate and uneven by comparison. — Dan Brooks, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

The notion of the bakers just getting a bunch of stuff, no recipe, and little time to prepare is the kind of high-wire act that usually makes reality television sing. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Tom Cruise has built a career on jumping out of airplanes, scaling skyscrapers and performing other high-wire antics in the name of entertainment. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 Sep. 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