1
a
: high in stature
b
: of a specified height
five feet tall
2
a
: of considerable height
tall trees
b
: long from bottom to top
a tall book
c
: of a higher growing variety or species of plant
3
a
: large or formidable in amount, extent, or degree
a tall order to fill
b
: pompous, high-flown
… tall talk about the vast mysteries of life …—
W. A. White
W. A. White
c
: highly exaggerated : incredible, improbable
a tall story
4
obsolete
: brave, courageous
Examples of tall in a Sentence
All the children in my family grew up to be very tall.
My mother is short but my father is fairly tall.
The giraffe is the tallest animal.
The drinks were served in tall glasses.
She is five feet tall.
Recent Examples on the Web
The wrinkle-resistant bottoms come in petite, regular, and tall lengths.
—Talia Ergas, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2025
Certain small construction projects, such as building accessory structures under 200 square feet, fences under 7 feet tall, retaining walls less than 4 feet high, and small decks that meet specific code criteria, are also exempt from needing a permit.
—Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Dec. 2025
The official centerpiece Christmas tree in the Blue Room is from Korson's Tree Farms in Sidney, Michigan, and is more than 18 feet tall.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
The small city of 23,000 now ranks #15 on a list of tallest skylines in the US; its high-rises among the tallest ever built on the Florida coast.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tall
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Talia Ergas, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2025
Certain small construction projects, such as building accessory structures under 200 square feet, fences under 7 feet tall, retaining walls less than 4 feet high, and small decks that meet specific code criteria, are also exempt from needing a permit.
—Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Dec. 2025
The official centerpiece Christmas tree in the Blue Room is from Korson's Tree Farms in Sidney, Michigan, and is more than 18 feet tall.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
The small city of 23,000 now ranks #15 on a list of tallest skylines in the US; its high-rises among the tallest ever built on the Florida coast.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tall
Cite this Entry
“Tall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tall. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tall
adjective1
a
: having unusually great height
b
: of a specified height
five feet tall
2
a
: large in amount, extent, or degree
a tall order to fill
b
: greatly exaggerated : improbable
a tall tale
tall
adverb
tallness
noun
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