high 1 of 3

adjective

ˈhī How to pronounce high (audio)
Definition of highnext
1
as in tall
extending to a great distance upward as the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest is mountaineering's holy grail

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2
as in increased
being at a higher level than average gasoline prices are high right now a high fever people with high incomes

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3
as in elevated
located at a greater height than average or usual an eagle's nest high on the cliff an old house with high ceilings

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4
as in higher
being far along in development a cabal of self-proclaimed Luddites who argued that the evils of high technology far outweighed its virtues

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5
as in drunk
being under the influence of alcohol not only has he never been high, he has never even tasted alcohol

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6
as in expensive
commanding a large price the concert tickets weren't cheap—you don't even want to know how high they were

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7
as in great
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature she had the highest intentions, but her "help" turned out to be a disaster

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8
as in top
highest in rank or authority high government officials lord high executioner

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9
as in ripped
being under the influence of a recreational drug he's clean now, but when he was younger he used to get high every day

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high

2 of 3

noun

1
as in ecstasy
a state of overwhelming usually pleasurable emotion it took days for the high of the World Series win to wear off

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2
as in sky
the expanse of air surrounding the earth V formations of honking geese on high mean winter will soon be here

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high

3 of 3

adverb

as in large
in a luxurious manner after he had won the lottery Philip lived pretty high—until all the money was gone

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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
Summer is finally nearing its end, though the high temperatures linger, making any thought of hot chocolate and curling up in blankets on the couch dangerous. — Brenda Looper, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026 In contrast, there are high expectations for a hike by the European Central Bank on Wednesday and, increasingly, the Federal Reserve later this month. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
Copper prices fell 5% on Thursday, pulling back from record highs, but analysts say fundamentals are in place for higher prices. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026 Sovereign bond yields around the world are also soaring, with Germany’s 10-year bond reaching a 15-year high Thursday, while 30-year bonds issued by the French government reached highs last seen in 2003. — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
Adverb
Chris Evans has officially said goodbye to his serene Hollywood Hills retreat high above Mulholland Drive. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2026 The sale of alcohol was banned until 2024, and, even now, only high-earning foreigners living in the diplomatic quarter can reportedly shop at Riyadh’s sole liquor store, which has no name and no sign. — Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for high
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high
  1. tall
  2. increased
  3. elevated
  4. advanced
  5. drunk
  6. expensive
  7. great
  8. top
Adjective
  • These are all the position players as tall as Judge who had at least 500 career plate appearances in the live-ball era.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Along the road, black privacy fabric wraps the tall chain-link fence surrounding the Southaven site.
    — Austyn Gaffney, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of tall
Adjective
  • Estrogen keeps hair in the growth phase longer, explains endocrinologist and OB-GYN Lucky Sekhon, so its decline may lead to hair thinning and increased shedding.
    — Sarah Madaus, InStyle, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The company’s turnaround strategy, launched by new CEO Michael Fiddelke after former CEO Brian Cornell stepped down, includes store refreshes, increased staffing, and more aggressive pricing.
    — Nancy Jiang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of increased
Adjective
  • For men’s, top sellers included short-sleeve polos in elevated fabrics and the shirt jacket.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Previous research had shown a link between nighttime sleep while exposed to light and an elevated risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure and stroke.
    — Barbara Mantel, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of elevated
Adjective
  • Talent flight across many ASEAN economies prevents them from developing the technocratic capacity needed for advanced technology and energy sectors.
    — Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The July hack by rogue OpenAI autonomous agents on open-source developer platform Hugging Face accelerated the shift and proved that the era of advanced AI hacks had arrived.
    — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of advanced
Adjective
  • At this point, the AI economy is like a drunk guy who managed to mount a tiger.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In Season 3, Danny, by his own admission, was drunk on camera across multiple episodes — during a cast trip to San Diego, while on another trip to Mexico and in the finale at a party.
    — Kate Aurthur, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of drunk
Adjective
  • Many tunnels are faster, safer and much more expensive for migrants who would otherwise face increasingly dangerous mountain and desert routes, experts said.
    — Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • This device is undeniably the most capable iPhone ever, as well as the most expensive.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of expensive
Adjective
  • Countries with far smaller digital ecosystems, like Cambodia and Laos, have even greater struggles to attract and retain AI talent.
    — Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The tropical cyclone reached Category 5, defined by sustained winds of 157 mph or greater, overnight Friday before losing some of its steam and settling into Category 4’s limits of sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph by Saturday.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of great
Adjective
  • New Hampshire’s premier Senate race is on after party leaders secured their top choices in what’s shaping up to be one of the tightest contests in the entire country come November.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Positioning the eggs upright with their narrow tips facing the top plate yielded the best results.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of top

Phrases Containing high

Browse Nearby Words

higgledy-piggledy
high
high and dry
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Cite this Entry

“High.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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