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

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 Its three rotating carbon masts are as tall as an eight-story palazzo, casting a silhouette that has by now become a fixture in the busy port where dozens of cruise ships dock each week. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026 The eighteen-meter-tall brick curve that encases the altar has a tremendous body, nearly ominous in its presence, that imparts an intuitive understanding—even amid the doubt—that what provides shelter necessarily does so through strength. — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026 Our earliest notable tall residential structures didn’t appear until the second and third decades of the 20th century and tended to be rather conservative in their appearance — think large swaths of Lake Shore Drive on the Gold Coast. — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026 Kawasaki The bike also gets nifty touring extras like hand guards, aluminum engine guards, and a taller windshield as standard. — New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tall

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tall

Adjective

Attendance is up, teacher pay is at its highest level in district history, and more of our strongest educators are staying in the classroom.

— Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Nov. 2026
When elections yield a divided government, with the White House held by one party and at least one chamber of Congress controlled by the other, the S&P 500 has historically posted higher average returns than under unified party control.

— , CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of high

Adjective

Jarman, who came in as the defending champion on the event, put together a more difficult routine but was nicked by judges for his execution.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
This is the last remaining game on the schedule that should be very difficult.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

As a result, as the elements of Jurek’s towering and astonishing crimes begin to click together, the plot quickly shifts, leading the narrative into entirely different and ever more haunting directions.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
Today, his hair cropped shorter and greying, Ingalbee notes that many of those towering, old growth trees, their bark cloaked in moss, have burned in recent wildfires.

— Kirk Siegler, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of towering

Adjective

Such calculations are part of a wider effort to understand why molecular simulations remain challenging.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
But the shift in college athletics has required an internal reconciling that is even more challenging than the external education.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

With the balance of power in Tallahassee at stake, Miami’s Republican state senators fended off tough challenges Tuesday night, while Democratic candidates flipped several South Florida state House seats for the minority party in Florida’s capital.

— Miami Herald staff, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
Whoever wins the contest will be stepping into one of the California’s toughest political jobs.

— Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

The Chiefs have a far more difficult remaining schedule (eighth hardest) than the Broncos do (27th), per DVOA data.

— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
The hardest part is often matching the format to the problem rather than simply choosing what’s most convenient.

— Karen Koehler, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of hard

Adjective

Oscar winners Vasarahelyi and Chin’s original intent was to document the quest of Morrison and his life partner, elite ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson, to summit the dangerous north face of Everest and ski down the formidable Hornbein Couloir.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2026
Remarkably, he’s accomplished this feat while using a 400-pound power wheelchair — navigating not just the globe but formidable accessibility barriers.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of formidable

Adjective

Under 1% leave during the rigorous six-month SEAL Qualification Training course, which is the final leg of the pipeline before they are assigned to a SEAL team.

— James LaPorta, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
The agreement capped Iran’s uranium enrichment levels, reduced its operational centrifuge numbers, required Iran to repurpose its nuclear weapons development facilities, and established more rigorous international inspections to verify compliance.

— S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of rigorous

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tallied

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“Tall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tall. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of tall

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