High — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb noun /ˈhī/

Meaning & Definition of High

High (adjective)

  1. rising or extending upward a great distance or a distance greater than others of its kind, taller than average, usual, or expected
  2. having a specified height or elevation, tall —often used in combination
  3. situated or passing above the normal level, surface, base of measurement, or elevation

High (adverb)

  1. at or to a high place, altitude, level, or degree
  2. well, luxuriously —often used in the phrases high off the hog and high on the hog
  3. at a high price

High (noun)

  1. an elevated place or region
  2. hill, knoll
  3. the space overhead, sky —usually used with on

High (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. extending to a great distance upward

    "as the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest is mountaineering's holy grail"

    similar: altitudinous, lofty, tall, towering
    related: dominant, dominating, eminent, prominent, elevated, lifted, raised, uplifted, upswept, high-rise, statuesque
    opposite: low, low-lying, short, squat
    near: flat, stubby, stumpy

  2. being at a higher level than average

    "gasoline prices are high right now"

    "a high fever"

    "people with high incomes"

    similar: elevated, escalated, heightened, increased, jacked (up), raised, up
    related: extreme, full, maximized, maximum, peaked, sky-high, utmost, inflated, over, overfilled, overflowing, overfull, overlarge, overloaded, oversize
    opposite: down, low
    near: decreased, depressed, dropped, knockdown (chiefly British), receded, under

  3. located at a greater height than average or usual

    "an eagle's nest high on the cliff"

    "an old house with high ceilings"

    similar: airy, elevated, nosebleed
    related: ascendant, ascending, soaring, overhead, overlooking, raised, upheld, uplifted, upraised, topmost, upmost, upper, uppermost, upward
    opposite: low, low-lying
    near: depressed, descendant, descending, down, dropped, fallen, grounded, lowered, sunken, lowermost, nethermost, undermost, abreast, even, level

  4. being far along in development

    "a cabal of self-proclaimed Luddites who argued that the evils of high technology far outweighed its virtues"

    similar: advanced, developed, evolved, forward, higher, improved, late, progressive, refined
    related: precocious, full-blown, full-fledged, full-scale, aged, grown, mature, matured, perfected, ripe, ripened, civilized, educated, enhanced, enlightened, contemporary, current, cutting-edge, latest, leading-edge, mod, modern, new, newest, newfangled, new-fashioned, novel, now, present-day, recent, space-age, supermodern, ultramodern, up-to-date
    opposite: backward, low, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary, undeveloped
    near: green, immature, underdeveloped, undersized, underweight, unripe, unripened, savage, uncivilized, uneducated, early, embryonic, germinal, primeval, primordial, antediluvian, antiquated, antique, dated, fusty, hoary, musty, Neanderthal, obsolete, old, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, outworn, passé, past

  5. being under the influence of alcohol

    "not only has he never been high, he has never even tasted alcohol"

    similar: besotted, blasted (slang), blind, blitzed (slang), blotto (slang), bombed, boozy, canned (slang), cockeyed, crocked, drunk, drunken, fried, gassed, hammered (slang), impaired, inebriate, inebriated, intoxicated, juiced (slang), lit, lit up, loaded (slang), looped, oiled (slang), pickled, pie-eyed, plastered, potted (slang), ripped (slang), sloshed (slang), smashed (slang), sottish, soused, sozzled, squiffed, stewed, stiff, stinking (slang), stoned, tanked (slang), tiddly (chiefly British), tight, tipsy, wasted (slang), wet, wiped out (slang), in one's cups, in the bag (slang), three sheets in the wind, under the influence, under the weather
    related: maudlin, beery, befuddled, bleary-eyed, crapulous, dopey, rocky, strung out, stupefied, debauched, dissipated, dissolute, alcoholic, bibulous, dipsomaniacal
    opposite: sober, straight
    near: abstemious, abstinent, dry, temperate, teetotal, clearheaded, cool, level, steady

  6. commanding a large price

    "the concert tickets weren't cheap—you don't even want to know how high they were"

    similar: big-ticket, costly, dear, expensive, extravagant, high-end, high-ticket, precious, premium, priceless, pricey, spendy (chiefly Northwest), ultraexpensive, valuable
    related: exorbitant, overpriced, prohibitive, sky-high, steep, stiff, unaffordable, uneconomic, unreasonable, inestimable, invaluable, deluxe, luxurious, sumptuous
    opposite: cheap, inexpensive
    near: moderate, reasonable, valueless, worthless, discounted

  7. 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"

    similar: big, chivalrous, elevated, gallant, great, greathearted, high-minded, lofty, lordly, magnanimous, natural, noble, sublime
    related: ennobled, exalted, glorified, heroic, honorable, valiant, venerable, worthy, knightly, princely, regal, inspiring, moving, numinous, uplifting, august, magnificent, majestic
    opposite: base, debased, degenerate, degraded, ignoble, low
    near: sordid, squalid, vile, wretched, abominable, contemptible, despicable, detestable, hateful, offensive, repulsive, ugly, vicious, dastardly, dirty, lousy, sorry, little, mean, narrow, small-minded, degrading, discreditable, humiliating, ignominious, coarse, crude, vulgar

  8. highest in rank or authority

    "high government officials"

    "lord high executioner"

    similar: chief, commanding, first, foremost, head, lead, leading, preeminent, premier, presiding, primary, prime, principal, supereminent, supreme, top, in charge
    related: high-level, senior, controlling, directing, managing, officiating, overseeing, regnant, reigning, ruling, supervisory, main, major, paramount, predominant, predominate, sovereign, ascendant, dominant, grand, superior, topmost, upmost, upper, uppermost
    near: ancillary, inferior, last, less, lesser, lower, lowly, second, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary, assistant, assisting, coadjutor, deputy, junior, under

  9. being under the influence of a recreational drug

    "he's clean now, but when he was younger he used to get high every day"

    similar: blasted (slang), blitzed (slang), bombed, hopped-up, loaded (slang), ripped (slang), spaced-out, stoned, strung out, wasted (slang), wiped out (slang), zonked, zonked-out
    related: addicted, hooked
    opposite: sober, straight
    near: abstemious, abstinent, clean, temperate, clearheaded, cool, level, steady

High (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a state of overwhelming usually pleasurable emotion

    "it took days for the high of the World Series win to wear off"

    similar: cloud nine, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, heaven, intoxication, paradise, rapture, rhapsody, seventh heaven, swoon, transport
    related: exaltation, blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, delight, enchantment, felicity, gladness, happiness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, pleasure, reverie, trance, inspiration, fervor, frenzy, madness, passion, cheer, cheerfulness, exuberance, gaiety, glee, gleefulness, jubilance, jubilation, lightheartedness
    opposite: depression
    near: misery, sadness, unhappiness, woe, wretchedness, blues, dejection, desolation, despair, despondency, disconsolateness, disheartenment, dispiritedness, doldrums, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, heartsickness, melancholy, mopes

  2. the expanse of air surrounding the earth

    "V formations of honking geese on high mean winter will soon be here"

    similar: blue, firmament, heaven(s), sky, welkin
    related: midair, horizon, skyline

High (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. in a luxurious manner

    "after he had won the lottery Philip lived pretty high—until all the money was gone"

    similar: expensively, extravagantly, fatly, grandly, large, lavishly, luxuriously, opulently, palatially, plushly, richly, sumptuously
    related: imposingly, impressively, magnificently, splendidly, grandiosely, ostentatiously, pompously, pretentiously, affluently, comfortably, fine, wealthily, immoderately, indulgently, intemperately, prodigally, wantonly, wastefully
    opposite: austerely, humbly, modestly, plainly, simply
    near: unpretentiously, cheaply, economically, frugally, inexpensively, meagerly, poorly, skimpily, sparely, sparingly, thriftily, conservatively, moderately, prudently, reasonably, restrainedly, sensibly, temperately

Related Entry: High and dry (adjective)

High and dry is a different word from High. The synonyms below are for high and dry, not for high.

  1. unable to act or achieve one's purpose

    "the inadequate supplies of vaccine left many people high and dry when the flu season arrived"

    similar: hamstrung, handcuffed, helpless, hog-tied, impotent, impuissant, paralyzed, powerless, weak
    related: incapable, incompetent, ineffective, ineffectual, inept, unfit, useless, feeble, frail, infirm, passive, spineless, supine, unaggressive
    opposite: mighty, potent, powerful, puissant, strong
    near: able, capable, competent, effective, efficient, authoritarian, autocratic, despotic, dictatorial, magisterial, tyrannical, dominant, dynamic, energetic, forceful, robust, sturdy, tough, vigorous, important, major, significant, high-level, senior, top

Related Entry: High and low (adverb)

High and low is a different word from High. The synonyms below are for high and low, not for high.

  1. in every place or in all places

    "I've been looking high and low for my glasses"

    similar: all over, everyplace, everywhere, far and wide, throughout, all over the place, far and near, in every corner, on all hands
    related: every which way, right and left
    opposite: nowhere

Related Entry: High-and-mighty (adjective)

High-and-mighty is a different word from High. The synonyms below are for high-and-mighty, not for high.

  1. having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude

    "a boss so high-and-mighty that no one could reason with him about anything"

    similar: arrogant, assumptive, bumptious, cavalier, chesty, haughty, high-handed, high-hat, highfalutin, huffish, huffy, imperious, important, lofty, lordly, masterful, overweening, peremptory, pompous, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, self-asserting, self-assertive, sniffy, stiff-necked, supercilious, superior, toplofty, uppish, uppity
    related: authoritarian, bossy, dominant, dominating, domineering, magisterial, pontifical, pontificating, condescending, disdainful, patronizing, impertinent, impudent, saucy, snobbish, snobby, snooty, blusterous, blustery, boastful, bombastic, braggart, bragging, braggy, cocky, swaggering, vain, vainglorious, complacent, conceited, egocentric, egoistic, egotistic, hubristic, narcissistic, orgulous, prideful, proud, self-affected, self-applauding, self-centered, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-pleased, self-satisfied, smug, stuck-up, self-flattering, self-loving, self-promoting, brash, forward, uninhibited, unreserved, extroverted, immodest
    opposite: humble, lowly, modest, unarrogant, unpretentious
    near: bashful, cowering, cringing, demure, diffident, introverted, mousy, overmodest, self-critical, self-doubting, sheepish, shrinking, shy, subdued, timid, acquiescent, compliant, deferential, meek, passive, submissive, unaggressive, unassertive, unassuming, unobtrusive, yielding, quiet, reserved, retiring

Related Entry: High-class (adjective)

High-class is a different word from High. The synonyms below are for high-class, not for high.

  1. of the very best kind

    "had some surprisingly high-class food at the church supper"

    similar: A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, bonny (chiefly British), boss (slang), brag, brave, bully, bumper, capital, choice, classic, cool (slang), corking, crackerjack, cracking, dandy, divine, dope (slang), down (slang), dynamite, excellent, fab, fabulous, famous, fantabulous (slang), fantastic, fine, first-class, first-rate, first-string, five-star, four-star, frontline, gangbusters, gilt-edged, gone (slang), grand, great, groovy, heavenly, hot, hype (slang), immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one, numero uno, out-of-sight (slang), par excellence, peachy, peachy keen, phat (slang), prime, primo (slang), prize, prizewinning, quality, radical (slang), righteous (slang), sensational, slick, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, top-of-the-line, top-shelf, topflight, topping (chiefly British), unsurpassed, wizard (chiefly British), wonderful, out of this world, too much
    related: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK, passable, satisfactory, tolerable, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine, classical, standard, traditional
    opposite: atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched
    near: bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

Related Entry: High-end (adjective)

High-end is a different word from High. The synonyms below are for high-end, not for high.

  1. appealing to affluent consumers

    "a high-end haberdashery that serves its clients by appointment only"

    similar: exclusive, upmarket, upscale
    related: elegant, fashionable, posh, extravagant, ostentatious, showy, deluxe, lavish, luxuriant, luxurious, opulent, plush, sumptuous, costly, expensive
    opposite: dime-store, discount, down-market, downscale, low-end
    near: cheap, inexpensive

  2. commanding a large price

    "high-end digital cameras intended for professionals and serious amateurs"

    similar: big-ticket, costly, dear, expensive, extravagant, high, high-ticket, precious, premium, priceless, pricey, spendy (chiefly Northwest), ultraexpensive, valuable
    related: exorbitant, overpriced, prohibitive, sky-high, steep, stiff, unaffordable, uneconomic, unreasonable, inestimable, invaluable, deluxe, luxurious, sumptuous
    opposite: cheap, inexpensive
    near: moderate, reasonable, valueless, worthless, discounted

Related Entry: High-flown (adjective)

High-flown is a different word from High. The synonyms below are for high-flown, not for high.

  1. full of fine words and fancy expressions

    "gave a high-flown reply instead of a simple yes or no answer"

    similar: aureate, florid, flowery, grandiloquent, high-sounding, highfalutin, magnific, ornate, purple, rhetorical
    related: affected, bloated, fancy-pants, grandiose, inflated, pompous, pretentious, stilted, excessive, flattering, fulsome, boastful, bombastic, elevated, eloquent, lofty, bookish, inkhorn, learned
    near: prosaic, unpoetic, bald, direct, lean, matter-of-fact, plain, plainspoken, simple, spare, stark, straightforward, unadorned, natural, unaffected, unpretentious

  2. very dignified in form, tone, or style

    "high-flown speeches about the nobleness of their cause"

    similar: elevated, eloquent, formal, lofty, majestic, stately, towering
    related: affected, bombastic, declamatory, florid, flowery, grandiloquent, grandiose, highfalutin, oratorical, pompous, pretentious, rhetorical, stilted, Attic, cultured, refined, classy, courtly, fine, graceful, tasteful, aristocratic, genteel, patrician, correct, educated, grammatical, proper, academic, bookish, learned, literary
    opposite: ineloquent, low, undignified
    near: casual, colloquial, conversational, informal, nonformal, slangy, unbookish, unliterary, vernacular, coarse, common, crass, crude, gross, ill-bred, indecent, lowbred, lowbrow, rough, rough-hewn, rude, tasteless, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar, incorrect, substandard, uneducated, ungrammatical, unlearned

Related Entry: High ground (noun)

High ground is a different word from High. The synonyms below are for high ground, not for high.

  1. the more favorable condition or position in a competition

    "one would have thought that having the superior product would have given the company the high ground in the video format war"

    similar: advantage, better, bulge, catbird seat, drop, edge, inside track, jump, pull, stead, upper hand, vantage, whip hand, coign of vantage
    related: allowance, head start, lead, leg up, margin, odds, start, ascendancy, command, dominance, mastery, predominance, superiority, supremacy, transcendence, transcendency, precedence, preference, prerogative, privilege, seniority, break, foothold, opportunity, benefit, blessing, boon, felicity, godsend, manna, windfall
    opposite: disadvantage, drawback, handicap, liability, minus, penalty, strike
    near: detriment, stranglehold, disparity, imbalance, inequality, unevenness, disability, failing, impairment, shortcoming, bar, catch, check, clog, crimp, embarrassment, hindrance, hitch, hurdle, impediment, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, rub, shackle, stop, trammel, lurch, setback

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for High

The most common words with a similar meaning to High:

Slang: blasted, blitzed, blotto, canned, hammered, juiced, loaded, oiled, potted, ripped, sloshed, smashed
Chiefly British: tiddly
Chiefly Northwest: spendy
altitudinous, lofty, tall, towering, elevated, escalated, heightened, increased, jacked (up), raised, up, airy, nosebleed, advanced, developed, evolved, forward, higher, improved, late, progressive, refined, besotted, blind, bombed, boozy, cockeyed, crocked, drunk, drunken, fried, gassed, impaired, inebriate, inebriated, intoxicated, lit, lit up, looped, pickled

Antonyms & Opposite Words for High

Words with the opposite meaning of High:

low, low-lying, short, squat, down, backward, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary, undeveloped, sober, straight, cheap, inexpensive, base, debased, degenerate, degraded, ignoble, depression, austerely, humbly, modestly, plainly, simply

Related Words for High

dominant, dominating, eminent, prominent, lifted, uplifted, upswept, high-rise, statuesque, extreme, full, maximized, maximum, peaked, sky-high, utmost, inflated, over, overfilled, overflowing, overfull, overlarge, overloaded, oversize, ascendant, ascending, soaring, overhead, overlooking, upheld

Near Antonyms of High

flat, stubby, stumpy, decreased, depressed, dropped, knockdown, receded, under, descendant, descending, fallen, grounded, lowered, sunken, lowermost, nethermost, undermost, abreast, even, level, green, immature, underdeveloped, undersized, underweight, unripe, unripened, savage, uncivilized

Origin & Etymology of High

Middle English, from Old English hēah; akin to Old High German hōh high, Lithuanian kaukaras hill

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for High

Words & Phrases Containing High

high altar, high analysis, high and dry, high and low, high-and-mighty, high beam, high blood pressure

Frequently Asked Questions about High

What does "High" mean?

"High" means rising or extending upward a great distance or a distance greater than others of its kind, taller than average, usual, or expected. As an an adjective, an adverb and a noun, it is defined as: rising or extending upward a great distance or a distance greater than others of its kind, taller than average, usual, or expected. It has 12 distinct senses.

What is another word for "High"?

Other words for "High" include altitudinous, lofty, tall, towering, elevated, escalated, heightened and increased. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "High" you intend.

What are different ways to say "High"?

There are 337 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "High". Common alternatives include altitudinous, lofty, tall, towering, elevated, escalated, heightened, increased, jacked (up) and raised.

What is a slang word for "High"?

Slang words for "High" include blasted, blitzed, blotto, canned, hammered and juiced.

What is the opposite of "High"?

Antonyms of "High" include low, low-lying, short, squat, down, backward, lower and nonprogressive. Near antonyms include flat, stubby, stumpy and decreased.

How do you use "High" in a sentence?

Examples of "High" in a sentence: "as the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest is mountaineering's holy grail"; "gasoline prices are high right now"; "a high fever".

Is "High" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"High" can be used as an adjective, an adverb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "High" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "High" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.