towering

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adjective tow·er·ing \ ˈtau̇(-ə)r-iŋ \

Definition of towering

1 :impressively high or great :imposing

towering pines

2 :reaching a high point of intensity :overwhelming

a towering rage

3 :going beyond proper bounds :excessive

towering ambitions

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toweringly

adverb

See towering defined for English-language learners

See towering defined for kids

Examples of towering in a Sentence

He flew into a towering rage.
the towering mountain peaks of the Rockies

Recent Examples of towering from the Web

The work began around 1 p.m. in Emancipation Park, where a towering monument of Gen. Robert E. Lee on horseback stands.

— Bloomberg.com, "White Nationalist Says He’ll Turn Himself In," 23 Aug. 2017
Worker after worker threw themselves off the towering dorm buildings, sometimes in broad daylight, in tragic displays of desperation – and in protest at the work conditions inside.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "Made in the USA, Baby," 27 July 2017
The pedestal-like chopine of the late 15th to the early 17th centuries transformed the upper-class European woman into a towering figure.

— ariana marsh, Teen Vogue, "High Heeled Shoes Were Originally Created For Men," 12 July 2017
Past years have seen a pirate ship, complete with a towering mast.

— david lyman, Cincinnati.com, "'I’m pretty sure they want us to sink'," 7 July 2017
Mike Zunino led off the second with his 12th homer of the season — a towering solo drive to left.

— ryan divish, The Seattle Times, "Mariners’ losing streak at Safeco Field hits seven games after Royals sweep," 5 July 2017
As many as 200 of the lanky white birds are flopping awkwardly in the tops of the towering trees, roosting, squawking, falling out of nests.

— robert cadwallader, star-telegram.com, "Egrets making life miserable for Arlington residents, but ‘next year we have a plan’," 3 July 2017
Coppola and her crew have created this world in haunting detail, from the opening passage — a child works her way through a towering cathedral of trees — to the mist and hanging moss that seem to cut the place off from the rest of the world.

— robert w. butler, kansascity.com, "Sofia Coppola’s ‘The Beguiled’ has its charms but should have been more beguiling," 29 June 2017
A slow-moving cold front, and 125 mph jet stream winds overhead, will help lift the unstable air into towering thunderstorms during the afternoon.

— tom skilling, chicagotribune.com, "Evening cold front to end ongoing storm threat," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'towering.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of towering

1592

towering Synonyms

Synonyms

altitudinous, lofty, tall, high

Antonyms

low, low-lying, short, squat

Related Words

dominant, dominating, eminent, prominent; elevated, lifted, raised, uplifted, upswept; high-rise, statuesque

Near Antonyms

flat, stubby, stumpy

TOWERING Defined for English Language Learners

towering

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adjective

Definition of towering for English Language Learners

: very tall
: very powerful or intense
: very great or impressive

TOWERING Defined for Kids

towering

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adjective tow·er·ing \ ˈtau̇-ər-iŋ \

Definition of towering for Students

1 :rising high :tall

Another match … illuminated a massive, towering, teetering pile of … soup bowls.
—Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux

2 :very powerful or intense

a towering rage

3 :going beyond proper bounds

towering ambition

Learn More about towering

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for towering Spanish Central: Translation of towering Nglish: Translation of towering for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of towering for Arabic speakers

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towering

Definition of towering

toweringly

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Examples of towering in a Sentence

Recent Examples of towering from the Web

First Known Use of towering

towering Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

TOWERING Defined for English Language Learners

towering

Definition of towering for English Language Learners

TOWERING Defined for Kids

towering

Definition of towering for Students

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