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
The system aims to give security operations centers a higher-confidence signal. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026 Excelencia in Education’s recent 2026 Latino College Completion analysis finds just less than 30% of Latino adults in Georgia have earned an associate degree or higher, compared with more than 45% of white adults — an attainment gap over 15%. — Deborah Santiago, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
The Dow closed at a record high, oil is sliding as the war premium drains away, even as Jamie Dimon warned that margin debt across financial markets has never been higher. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026 Korean pre-orders also hit new highs, underscoring the strong market reception for Samsung's latest foldable lineup. — David Phelan, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Such funds became popular with a variety of investors in recent years thanks to their high-yielding payouts. — Sridhar Natarajan, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026 Mark Blinch / Getty Images Gray said keeping the intensity high throughout the game was the key to the win. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 11 Aug. 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
  • Rising above northern Greece, Mount Olympus is the tallest mountain in the country, with its highest peak, Mytikas, reaching about 9,570 feet.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The 58-acre property features picturesque cliffs more than 100 feet tall on its northern edge.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tall
Adjective
  • In Year 2, Bryant is playing at an increased tempo that comes with a greater understanding of the offense.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • And while a prospective cohort of 168 first-trimester exposures found no increased risk of major birth defects or pregnancy loss, the sample is too small to be reassuring.
    — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of increased
Adjective
  • The combination of elevated inflation and a resilient labor market has raised the chances of an interest rate hike, futures markets show.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • On Monday, an 18-year-old was seriously injured after falling onto an elevated platform.
    — Ubah Ali, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of elevated
Adjective
  • To stop this, Canadian authorities have partnered with the ATF to use advanced tracing technology in hopes of generating leads, authorities said.
    — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The author warns that humanity's insistence on supremacy could lead to conflict with advanced AI, even provoking existential threats.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of advanced
Adjective
  • Ormund, who has spent the entirety of the battle looking for Ulf, finally finds the dragonseed passed out in the latrine after a morning spent in Lord Footly’s kitchen getting drunk on the Footly stores of ale.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • After being publicly humiliated by Daemon Targaryen and lured to switch sides (with his dragon) to the Greens by Ormund Hightower, party animal Ulf is still drunk and MIA when the battle starts.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of drunk
Adjective
  • Above and below him on our list sit the two most expensive shot-stoppers of all time, whose big-money moves were followed by contrasting fortunes.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As luxury becomes both more ubiquitous and more expensive, being desirable without being everywhere could prove a valuable position to hold.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of expensive
Adjective
  • If cultural norms do shape footballing identities, that gap may help explain why the Spanish game has historically placed a greater premium on collective structures than some of its European neighbours.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • His greatest series let people see a character who has revealed the filthiest, most shameful parts of themselves, and imagine them as a mirror.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of great
Adjective
  • Cottonmouths — semiaquatic snakes also known as water moccasins — are in the top three most commonly encountered venomous snakes in Arkansas, Davis said.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The spending is heavily dominated by staff travel, transportation and lodging, which make up the vast majority of the top expenditures, per P-card data reviewed by the Herald after a public records request.
    — Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 12 Aug. 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 13 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of high for Spanish Speakers

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