high 1 of 3

adjective

ˈhī How to pronounce high (audio)
Definition of highnext
1
as in tall
extending to a great distance upward as the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest is mountaineering's holy grail

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2
as in increased
being at a higher level than average gasoline prices are high right now a high fever people with high incomes

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3
as in elevated
located at a greater height than average or usual an eagle's nest high on the cliff an old house with high ceilings

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4
as in higher
being far along in development a cabal of self-proclaimed Luddites who argued that the evils of high technology far outweighed its virtues

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5
as in drunk
being under the influence of alcohol not only has he never been high, he has never even tasted alcohol

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6
as in expensive
commanding a large price the concert tickets weren't cheap—you don't even want to know how high they were

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7
as in great
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature she had the highest intentions, but her "help" turned out to be a disaster

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8
as in top
highest in rank or authority high government officials lord high executioner

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9
as in ripped
being under the influence of a recreational drug he's clean now, but when he was younger he used to get high every day

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high

2 of 3

noun

1
as in ecstasy
a state of overwhelming usually pleasurable emotion it took days for the high of the World Series win to wear off

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2
as in sky
the expanse of air surrounding the earth V formations of honking geese on high mean winter will soon be here

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high

3 of 3

adverb

as in large
in a luxurious manner after he had won the lottery Philip lived pretty high—until all the money was gone

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective high contrast with its synonyms?

The words lofty and tall are common synonyms of high. While all three words mean "above the average in height," 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

In what contexts can lofty take the place of high?

Although the words lofty and high have much in common, lofty suggests great or imposing altitude.

lofty mountain peaks

When might tall be a better fit than high?

The words tall and high can be used in similar contexts, but tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness.

a tall thin man

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 high
Adjective
His background includes Formula 1 power units at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains and hybrid systems for high-performance vehicles. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026 In have come eight players — all 24 or under — for roughly £300m, add-ons included, making Newcastle the fourth-highest global spenders. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
Tuesday and Wednesday should be sunny to mostly sunny, with respective forecast highs of 88 and 91, the latest NWS forecast showed. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026 The city's annual number of extremely hot days — days whose highs are hotter than 95% of 1991-2020 temperatures — has grown by nearly an entire month since 1970. — Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
Adverb
The capacity is there, but nobody ever taught them how to read what’s happening beneath the surface the way high-functioning organizations require. — Dr. Rick Ruperto, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 While the show’s narrative pits the two hotel crews against each other in close proximity, Airelles Château de la Messardière actually sits perched high above Saint-Tropez—roughly three hours by car from Cannes. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for high
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high
  1. tall
  2. increased
  3. elevated
  4. advanced
  5. drunk
  6. expensive
  7. great
  8. top
Adjective
  • In 1972, to mark Kim’s sixtieth birthday, the nation erected a gleaming sixty-six-foot-tall statue of him on a hill in the capital, Pyongyang.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Similar to traditional sofas, the standard (and most comfortable for the widest span of heights) height for daybeds is around 18 inches—most models on this list are between 16 and 19 inches tall from the floor to the top of the seat cushions.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of tall
Adjective
  • The company’s turnaround strategy, launched by new CEO Michael Fiddelke after former CEO Brian Cornell stepped down, includes store refreshes, increased staffing, and more aggressive pricing.
    — Nancy Jiang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The embassy warned that increased British involvement would carry increased consequences.
    — Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of increased
Adjective
  • The Bank of Korea raised its base rate to 3% in August, its second consecutive hike, as core inflation remained elevated.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One of the many knock-on effects of the energy price shock has been a broad expectation among investors that inflation will stay elevated.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of elevated
Adjective
  • Goldman expects China’s advanced-node wafer supply to reach 410,000 wafers per month by 2035, compared with monthly demand of 619,000 wafers.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The display was set up by police, with authorities saying some of the bodies recovered from the floods were in an advanced state of decomposition, making physical identification difficult.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of advanced
Adjective
  • Eurotrash from Frauke Finsterwalder will have its world premiere in Zurich, the festival confirmed Monday, following a writer called Philipp who embarks with his terminally ill and hopelessly drunk mother, Helene, on a road trip through Switzerland.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This was the context for Justice Brewer’s remarks about Philip sober restraining Philip drunk.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of drunk
Adjective
  • According to materials provided to CNBC, Google has also directly targeted Microsoft and Anthropic, claiming their recurring seat fees and separate product licenses make their offerings more expensive and less flexible.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos,Drew Troast, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • These Mocoly hiking pants have a slightly sportier look about them without the expensive price tag.
    — Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of expensive
Adjective
  • But there may be little anyone–government or corporate–can do to persuade people to have children amid greater economic uncertainty.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • From travel dresses to a lightweight sweater, here are 14 items from Quince’s Workwear Edit that would look great on you on your next flight, starting at $20.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of great
Adjective
  • The heater was developed by Truma, a top name in RV HVAC equipment and accessories.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The 20-year-old was a bridge-between-regimes addition, as was Lukas Hornicek, who Newcastle’s data team identified as a future top-class goalkeeper.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of top

Phrases Containing high

Browse Nearby Words

higgledy-piggledy
high
high and dry
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Cite this Entry

“High.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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