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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in difficult

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

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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 Carowinds’ Fury 325 roller coaster, one of the world’s tallest, has been closed for a week for a repair, the park revealed in a statement late Tuesday. — Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026 Like its rooms, all three restaurants face the ocean; don’t miss dinner at the Ocean Grill, where you’ll be surrounded by three walls of 30-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling windows. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026 Discovered on a South Dakota ranch between 2021 and 2023, Gus measures roughly 38 feet long and stands 12½ feet tall. — Daniel Cassady For Artnews, Robb Report, 15 July 2026 First, the taller IMAX image will likely be cropped at the top and bottom later for wider non-IMAX screens, so keeping things centered helps ensure important visual information is not cropped out. — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tall

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tall

Adjective

Wall Street looked past geopolitics even as oil prices climbed on the back of lower-than-expected inflation figures that sent tech stocks higher.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 15 July 2026
The new findings showed that symptom-free older adults who harbored very high levels of p-tau217 had a 38% risk of developing cognitive impairment over five years.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 July 2026

Definition of high

Adjective

The park is home to the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast, a towering 115-foot-tall white brick structure built in 1871 that millions of visitors have explored for generations.

— Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
The tiny town, home to just over 8,000 residents, is tucked between the towering Monashee and Selkirk mountain ranges along the Columbia River.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026

Definition of towering

Adjective

These renovations have made Bliss Matcha & Beyond’s move less challenging, according to Gorski.

— Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026
Ahead of a challenging midterm election, Republicans have seized an opportunity to castigate their opponents as extremists after democratic socialists won recent Democratic congressional primaries in New York and Colorado.

— Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

White, when give the chance, has displayed a diverse offensive game, a defensive bent and an ability to make tough shots.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Not long afterward, he was elected president on a platform deeply hostile to the West and its liberal ideology, and especially to the United States — threatening a hard fight in the event of war.

— Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
That’s hard to imagine of a president who uses the office to promote and prosper from his own brand name.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of hard

Adjective

England faces a formidable challenge against Mexico in the FIFA World Cup knockout round, playing at Estadio Azteca, 7,220 feet above sea level.

— Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
However, there is arguably no matchup currently more daunting than a game against this formidable France side.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 4 July 2026

Definition of formidable

Adjective

For more than two decades, the duo hauled in more than 4 pounds of clams each morning from the lagoon in the Po River Delta — upending the notion that women were unsuited for such a rigorous job.

— Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Over the summer, kids might not have had to stick to a rigorous morning routine, but that all changes during the school year.

— Parents, Parents, 17 July 2026

Definition of rigorous

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talky

tall

tallied

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“Tall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tall. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of tall

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