high-energy

adjective

high-en·​er·​gy ˈhī-ˈe-nər-jē How to pronounce high-energy (audio)
1
a
: having such speed and kinetic energy as to exhibit relativistic departure from classical laws of motion
—used especially of elementary particles whose velocity has been imparted by an accelerator
b
: of or relating to high-energy particles
2
: yielding a relatively large amount of energy when undergoing hydrolysis

Examples of high-energy in a Sentence

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In the 1960s America launched the Vela fleet of satellites, whose sole task was to look at Earth’s surface and search for any telltale neutrons, x-rays and gamma rays—extremely high-energy particles—coming from a nuclear explosion. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 Jesse Eisenberg continues to tread the festival circuit with his musical comedy The Debut, and on Sunday afternoon was wildly entertaining at a high-energy Screen Talk event ahead of his film’s closing the BFI London Film Festival. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026 Powered by electric energy, E-HEL generates a lethal high-energy laser beam, offering a low cost-per-shot against critical unmanned aircraft system threats, and a magazine that regenerates with the system’s power supply. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026 Known for his high-energy demeanor, his livestream content covers gaming, sports, stunts and travel. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for high-energy

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of high-energy was in 1934

Rhymes for high-energy

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Browse Nearby Words

high-end
high-energy
high-energy physics
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Cite this Entry

“High-energy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high-energy. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

high-energy

adjective
: yielding a relatively large amount of energy when undergoing hydrolysis
high-energy phosphate bonds in ATP
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