as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
the inadequate supplies of vaccine left many people high and dry when the flu season arrived
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Recent Examples of high and dry
All these groups and more will be left high and dry, rolling the dice with every major decision.
—
Kristin Reilly, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2025
Amid these challenges, many Gen Z members feel like they’ve been left high and dry when getting financial help.
—Jb Orecchia, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
The first thing Beame did was to cut construction projects (Battery Park City, the 2nd Ave. subway line), leaving construction workers high and dry.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
How much longer will the Navy be left high and dry?
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for high and dry
Kristin Reilly, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2025
Amid these challenges, many Gen Z members feel like they’ve been left high and dry when getting financial help.
—Jb Orecchia, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
The first thing Beame did was to cut construction projects (Battery Park City, the 2nd Ave. subway line), leaving construction workers high and dry.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
How much longer will the Navy be left high and dry?
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for high and dry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high and dry
Adjective
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Not long after, Brady looked helpless on his final snap as a Patriot, standing at the 1-yard line with nine seconds left because of that maneuver, which Stretch stole from Brady’s head coach and turned against them both.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
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As for the Aces, Vegas has lost two in a row and looked helpless last time out, losing 109-78 to the Minnesota Lynx.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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That fortune extended to Rice himself, who could have been maimed or paralyzed or otherwise unable to walk away.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
18 July 2025
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At the wedding of one of her clients, matchmaker Lucy knows just what to ask when the bride-to-be becomes paralyzed by trepidation.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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And if tariffs only cause a one-time jump in prices, weaker purchasing power could slow the economy.—
Raul Elizalde,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Other Ukrainian sources in the area paint a more dire picture, in which months of persistent Russian pressure has culminated in a weak spot to exploit.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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At that time, Mollie Keen was diagnosed with an incompetent cervix, which is when the lower part of the cervix begins to open (dilate) too early, typically in the second trimester, the release shared.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
28 July 2025
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Basically, how others will judge you for moving on, if you’ll be seen as incompetent or immoral for quitting.—
Vicki Salemi,
Boston Herald,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“High and dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high%20and%20dry. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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