high 1 of 3

1
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
Meanwhile, Emerald has no need for men, using a sperm donor to create her perfect family of high-achieving triplets. Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025 Previous mayors have made similar efforts to raise taxes on the city’s highest earners. Connor Greene, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
Klum paired her thigh-highs with delicate fishnet stockings that completed the look. Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025 Adebayo set career-highs last regular season in three-point makes (79) and three-point attempts (221). Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Your confidence will reach at an all-time high this winter thanks to these markdowns on curve-hugging jeans, dresses, and shirts. Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025 Every November, Cook says, her whole office is stacked high with cans and boxes of food. Tovia Smith, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for high
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high
Adjective
  • Keep a distance from tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Five years after Dan died at 32 years old, Judy decided to make their lifelong dream of getting the 75-foot-tall Norway spruce outside their home in upstate New York to the front of Rockefeller Center come true.
    Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The surface-to-surface weapon system provides the Joint Force Commander with increased range, lethality, survivability, and missile load out.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Miners argue increased subjection to the dust has led to an eruption of black lung, an incurable disease associated with inhaling the particles.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Keep a distance from tall, solitary trees or other elevated structures.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Kirkpatrick informed the Kowalskis that those suffering from CRPS often show elevated levels of glutamate, an amino acid, which can be inhibited by ketamine infusions.
    Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • But marijuana consumption has gone up at the same time that alcohol consumption has gone down, and the qualitative differences between being high and being drunk translate to differences in social behavior.
    Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Eilert is soon drunk and distraught over seemingly losing his manuscript, and Hedda tells her ex-lover to kill himself.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Dodgers, with baseball's biggest payroll, have used their financial ability to pluck some of the most sought-after and most expensive free agents on the market.
    Steve Futterman, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
  • And while Starbucks’ store format is expensive to upkeep, customers have become less willing to pay higher prices for its drinks since the COVID pandemic and ongoing economic downturn.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • WeRide is a member of this year’s Future 50, Fortune’s annual ranking of companies with the greatest potential for growth.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
  • After looking over the latest update from Jim Bowden, the odds of Bregman staying with the Red Sox are not looking too great currently.
    Drew VonScio, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Can Atlanta’s defense, which ranks among the top half of teams in both sacks and quarterback rating, similarly harass Jones?
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • To keep each of your loads in top shape, the laundry pro recommends proper sorting (keeping whites and lights in one pile and darks and colors in another) to avoid dye transfer.
    Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • In the footage, also obtained by PEOPLE, Tarek can be seen wearing a ripped shirt as he's questioned by an officer in a small room with his elderly dad.
    Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
  • When at ports, the crew does everything from deck tours and day sails to maintenance, such as fixing a stove, sewing a ripped sail or doing laundry.
    Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025

Cite this Entry

“High.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

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