high 1 of 3

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as in tall
extending to a great distance upward as the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest is mountaineering's holy grail

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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high

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noun

high

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective high contrast with its synonyms?

The words lofty and tall are common synonyms of high. While all three words mean "above the average in height," high implies marked extension upward and is applied chiefly to things which rise from a base or foundation or are placed at a conspicuous height above a lower level.

a high hill
a high ceiling

In what contexts can lofty take the place of high?

Although the words lofty and high have much in common, lofty suggests great or imposing altitude.

lofty mountain peaks

When might tall be a better fit than high?

The words tall and high can be used in similar contexts, but tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness.

a tall thin man

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of high
Adjective
Kennedy said that higher oil prices could also mean that Russia is able to gain more money—oil from the Urals region has already increased by 26 percent in the past month. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025 Almost 59 million Americans were under an extreme heat warning Saturday, Hurley said, as the high temperatures combined with humidity pushed an above-average heat index for the Northern Plains and the Midwest. Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025
Noun
But prices are down from 12.7% since March, when egg prices reached a high of roughly $6.22 per dozen on average. Joey Garrison, USA Today, 4 July 2025 Outbreaks of bird flu in January and February caused the average price of a dozen Grade A eggs to hit a record high of $6.23 per dozen in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 3 July 2025
Adverb
Denver tied the record daily high on Friday at 99 degrees. Katie Langford, Denver Post, 21 June 2025 The debris cloud billowed away to the stern, now tilted high above the ship’s Marconi wires. Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for high
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high
Adjective
  • Avoid tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
  • Keep a distance from tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • Focusing on the upper end of the market makes a lot of sense for a company in the here and now, but increased premiumization could pose a threat to the future of the wine industry.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 29 June 2025
  • Probation officers will get $15 million for pretrial services and courts will receive $20 million to support increased caseloads.
    Trân Nguyễn, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2025
  • Avoid tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • And maybe a little drunk and sick from all that oily food and crappy wine.
    Helen Schulman, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025
  • But try bouncing from a pop star version of 1500s English queen Anne Boleyn to a drunk 1985 housewife to a lusty 1955 teenager.
    Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 22 June 2025
Adjective
  • Because kids don’t always need an expensive class or activity in order to learn valuable life skills.
    Miranda Rake, Parents, 25 June 2025
  • Conversely, the league’s second-most expensive team in terms of salary, Toronto FC ($34,146,193) is second-worst in the Eastern Conference and third-worst in the league in terms of points (just 13 in 17 games).
    Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • That could mean even greater affordability for smaller businesses adopting AI for their businesses.
    Bernice Ooi, CNBC, 26 June 2025
  • Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, a group that encourages civilian patrol of the streets, has identified himself as an anti-Trump Republican who wants greater safety in the city.
    Solcyré Burga, Time, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Trump’s top legislative priority—his package of tax cuts and spending priorities—narrowly cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate over the weekend.
    Ani Freedman, Fortune, 30 June 2025
  • The top national men’s soccer teams are advancing to the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup Knockout Stage, and the quarterfinal matchups are now underway.
    Danielle Directo-Meston, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • The end of the footage shows a man in a ripped shirt trying to leave before being punched in the face by a woman.
    Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
  • Hal and Whitney would sit around the living room on the ripped couch and talk about sailing the world.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2025

Cite this Entry

“High.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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