high-minded

adjective

ˈhī-ˈmīn-dəd How to pronounce high-minded (audio)
Definition of high-mindednext
1
as in noble
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature high-minded efforts to improve the lives of people who are less fortunate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrogant
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance she was too high-minded to admit publicly to watching trashy movies, but privately she loved them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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-minded The markets were launched with high-minded ambitions of using the wisdom of the crowd to forecast future events, and help business leaders and politicians make better decisions. — Semafor Events, semafor.com, 22 May 2026 Some viewers even felt its liberal use of absurdity in fact grounded the show in the real world compared to the high-minded weepies on daytime, achieving honesty through nontraditional means. — Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 Hepburn was enamored with the high-minded Ferrer, though some saw him as a puppet master and opportunist. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026 Trump and Bibi have done nothing to earn such high-minded NATO support even though the future of Hormuz so directly impacts every member of the alliance. — Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for high-minded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-minded
  1. noble
  2. arrogant
  3. great
  4. pretentious
  5. high
  6. grandiose
  7. honorable
  8. pompous
Adjective
  • Warm, fuzzy feelings for noble stupidity are an American thing, especially in politics.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026
  • The idea that, rather than taking your phone out of your pocket to open the Soundcore app to get all the settings, is a noble one, but it's replaced by taking your carry case out of your pocket, unlocking it, and then getting to all the settings.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of noble
Adjective
  • West Germany, arrogant attitude adjusted, pounded Chile, 4-1.
    — David j. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
  • Lasso, in his initial introduction to audiences, wasn’t the warm, pun-loving, inspirational coach audiences would eventually embrace through Apple +, but a slightly arrogant buffoon parodying the average American sports fan.
    — Charles Moss, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • William's sixth-great-grandfather was born in Coventry in 1740 and enlisted as a private in the Connecticut militia.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • Leave some messiness in your garden and leave the leaves, as decaying leaves are great habitat for fireflies.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of great
Adjective
  • The Majestic espouses a traditional luxury hotel style without feeling stuffy or pretentious.
    — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • The 101 recipes are chef-smart without being pretentious or complicated.
    — Sheela Prakash, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 July 2026
Definition of pretentious
Adjective
  • Millions of Americans paying higher Affordable Care Act insurance bills in 2026 will once again face double-digit rate hikes next year, marking another cost increase for health insurance that has become prohibitively expensive for some.
    — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • The effective closure of the waterway after the outbreak of the war saw oil prices surge, fueling concerns about an energy shock that could feed into higher inflation across the globe.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 8 July 2026
Definition of high
Adjective
  • And the jovial human moments between bursts of grandiose showmanship leave the reassuring impression that Elvis really, truly enjoyed being Elvis.
    — Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026
  • Given the absence of profits, investors are effectively betting on Musk’s grandiose vision of a future filled with orbital AI data centers and colonies on the Moon and Mars, lofty goals that could take decades to come to fruition — if ever.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 1 July 2026
Definition of grandiose
Adjective
  • Manliness is a touchy subject these days, but there was a time when honorable combat was respected above the mere running of one’s mouth.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026
  • And Florida passed only because one player made the honorable decision.
    — David Mica, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2026
Definition of honorable
Adjective
  • Among them a City boy wearing three Fit-Bit-type devices, two beautiful Middle Eastern sisters, an outrageously pompous elderly American (sorry; eavesdropping), and several Imelda Marcos lookalikes, tottering out of the treatment rooms with, somehow, their elaborate hairstyles still intact.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
  • Far from being arty or pompous, Tull laced its sound with a wicked sense of humor and occasional social commentary.
    — Ernesto Lechner, SPIN, 25 May 2026
Definition of pompous

Browse Nearby Words

highly
high-minded
high-mindedly
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Cite this Entry

“High-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-minded. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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