TALL Synonyms: 122 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'tall' contrast with its synonyms?

The words high and lofty are common synonyms of tall . While all three words mean "above the average in height," tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness. // a tall thin man

Q: When can 'high' be used instead of 'tall'?

Although the words high and tall have much in common, 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

Q: When would 'lofty' be a good substitute for 'tall'?

While in some cases nearly identical to tall , lofty suggests great or imposing altitude. // lofty mountain peaks

tall

adjective

ˈtȯl

Definition of tall

as in high

extending to a great distance upward tall skyscrapers that cast long shadows over the park

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort that's a pretty tall order

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective tall contrast with its synonyms?

The words high and lofty are common synonyms of tall. While all three words mean "above the average in height," tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness.

a tall thin man

When can high be used instead of tall?

Although the words high and tall have much in common, 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

When would lofty be a good substitute for tall?

While in some cases nearly identical to tall, lofty suggests great or imposing altitude.

lofty mountain peaks

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 tall Specifically, the watch can better track your location when you're surrounded by tall buildings in a big city, through cloud cover, and through tree canopies. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026 August, strikingly tall and in sweatpants bearing his university’s logo, introduces himself. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 Drawing more than 90,000 for a game is the tallest of orders for any indoor sporting event, that this one is women’s volleyball is daunting, but not deterring. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026 For days, teams on boats on the other side of the world had tracked down and grabbed the 171-foot-tall section of the rocket that flies in space, known as the upper stage, following a July 24 flight test. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tall

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tall

Adjective

This isn’t unusual for the agency; in April, USPS raised prices by 8% due to higher fuel costs.

— Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning that applies to more than 1 million people in San Diego County, mostly across inland valleys, foothills and mountains where high temperatures will approach or exceed 95 to 114 degrees.

— Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of high

Adjective

The California Board of Pharmacy in 2025 reversed course on regulations that would have made the supplement more difficult to acquire after pushback from some firefighters.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Striking out on her own was a difficult transition, but embracing her solitude gave her the space to learn more about herself and make her own personal decisions, such as getting her cat or making meals of her choosing.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Told through Bearden’s own words and archives, the film reintroduces a towering yet underrecognized modernist, athlete, and activist whose influence still shapes contemporary culture.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026
The lush valleys flanking the Teahupo’o coastline are full of drama, with towering, jagged peaks and vertiginous ridges—many far off the grid and only accessible via boat.

— Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of towering

Adjective

Sharing her new life on social media helped give Hoadley a sense of empowerment despite her challenging circumstances.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Carson McCullers’ remarkable debut novel tells a story of the American South, one set in Georgia and peopled with a cast of characters that exist in a rich, layered, and challenging reality.

— Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

With men on first and third and nobody out that inning, second baseman Jackson Holliday fielded a tough grounder and threw to second, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped the ball for an error and everyone was safe.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
As for footwear sales in the region, the second quarter saw a slowdown of sales of high-heat product, alongside tougher comparatives and ongoing softness in end-of-cycle footwear product lines.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Sunday’s game was the first time since Cunningham was taken down by the Sky’s DiJonai Carrington on a hard foul on a fast break earlier this month.

— Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Other majors, such as engineering, with its extensive math requirements, have been harder to shrink.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of hard

Adjective

Banks wrote this piece as an ensemble work, not as a showcase for his formidable instrumental prowess.

— George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
So does Kevin Reddington, the formidable defense attorney who is representing Clancy in her criminal trial, taking place in Plymouth, which is being live-streamed on the Internet and heavily covered on local news.

— Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of formidable

Adjective

Building trust requires a strong data foundation, rigorous quality standards and clear visibility into how insights are generated.

— David Tobias, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Every personal finance product review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of mortgage products.

— Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of rigorous

Browse Nearby Words

talky

tall

tallied

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tall. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tall

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on tall

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

southpaw

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes