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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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 At 6-foot-9, Pete is the tallest player on the team and brings over 2,000 snaps of experience at left tackle. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026 The Shanghai chapter at the Long Museum features three towering titanium sculptures, over 30 feet tall, symbolizing birth, growth and rebirth. — Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Johnson is described as a white female, approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall and 120 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 22 July 2026 Both men are officially listed at 6-foot-3, but many online viewers argued Rodri appeared noticeably taller, prompting a fresh round of speculation about the president's height. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tall

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tall

Adjective

The Big Bend Sector has not experienced the high number of border crossings seen in recent years in other areas farther south along the Rio Grande or in Arizona or California, owing to the remote and challenging terrain on both sides of the border.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
The global luxury resale and collateral market has expanded rapidly as younger high-net-worth individuals and fashion collectors treat assets like investments.

— Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of high

Adjective

Unlike dogs, they cannot simply be taken on longer walks, often resist dietary changes, and can be difficult to medicate consistently, making GLP-1 therapies potentially attractive if clinical trials prove successful.

— Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
Their stories recount the devastation to homes and businesses, life in temporary shelters, and the difficult process of rebuilding or relocating.

— Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Pierre Bourdieu, the towering French sociologist who coined the term cultural capital, was interested in how markers of elite status entrench power imbalances.

— Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026
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

Definition of towering

Adjective

The method also relies on multiple Bell tests and assumptions about independent quantum sources, which could make large-scale implementation challenging.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
His 15-point first half Thursday included two threes, a high-degree-of-difficulty turnaround jumper and another challenging jumper.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

Essentially a rock has met a hard place – at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Remember, all this hard work to discover all these things has been done in the midst of designing a ballroom, cleaning up the reflecting pool and a host of other busy things the president and his administration have been doing.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Definition of hard

Adjective

In the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap 35-1 longshot Somerset West (Armando Ayuso) outran nine other 3-year-old fillies, including three formidable challengers who shipped in from the east.

— Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
Ohtani spearheads the game’s most formidable hypothetical October rotation.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 18 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 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of tall

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