Higher — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb noun noun phrase /ˈhī/ (adjective) /ˌhī-ər-ˈəp/ (noun)

Meaning & Definition of Higher

Higher (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

Higher (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

Higher (noun)

  1. study of biblical writings to determine their literary history and the purpose and meaning of the authors
  2. education beyond the secondary level; especially, education provided by a college or university
  3. a principle of divine or moral law that is considered to be superior to constitutions and enacted legislation
  4. education, learning, or scholarship on the collegiate or university level
  5. a superior officer or official
  6. a spirit or being (such as God) that has great power, strength, knowledge, etc., and that can affect nature and the lives of people
  7. a more meaningful reason to live, work, etc.

Higher (noun phrase)

  1. a college or university

Higher (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being far along in development

    "an institute of higher learning"

    "higher primates, such as the apes"

    similar: advanced, developed, evolved, forward, high, 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antiquated, antique, dated, fusty, hoary, musty, Neanderthal, obsolete, old, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, outworn, passé, past

Related Entry: High (adjective)

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

  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

Related Entry: High (adverb)

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

  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: Higher education (noun)

Higher education is a different word from Higher. The synonyms below are for higher education, not for higher.

  1. attendance as a student at a college or university

    "Students and their parents worry about the rising cost of higher education."

    similar: higher learning, education, instruction, schooling, teaching, training, tuition, tutelage, tutoring, didactics, pedagogics, pedagogy, coaching, conditioning, cultivation, preparation, readying, development, direction, guidance, nurturance, nurturing, edification, enlightenment, improvement

Related Entry: Higher learning (noun)

Higher learning is a different word from Higher. The synonyms below are for higher learning, not for higher.

  1. as in higher education

    similar: higher education, education, instruction, schooling, teaching, training, tuition, tutelage, tutoring, didactics, pedagogics, pedagogy, coaching, conditioning, cultivation, preparation, readying, development, direction, guidance, nurturance, nurturing, edification, enlightenment, improvement

Related Entry: Higher-up (noun)

Higher-up is a different word from Higher. The synonyms below are for higher-up, not for higher.

  1. as in director, executive

    similar: administrator, commander, director, employer, executive, general, governor, hierarch, boss, boss man, captain, chief, foreman, forewoman, head, headman, helmsman, honcho, jefe, kingpin, leader, master, mistress, taskmaster, taskmistress, leadman, manager, overseer, principal, skipper, standard-bearer, steward, straw boss, superintendent, superior, supervisor, gaffer (British), ganger (British), overlord, potentate, ruler, sovereign, figurehead, baron, czar, czarina, king, magnate, mogul, president, prince, princess, queen, big cheese, big gun, bigwig, top dog, top gun, cohead, coleader

Related Entry: Higher-ups (noun)

Higher-ups is a different word from Higher. The synonyms below are for higher-ups, not for higher.

  1. as in directors, executives

    similar: administrators, commanders, directors, employers, executives, generals, governors, hierarchs, bosses, boss men, captains, chiefs, foremen, forewomen, headmen, heads, helmsmen, honchos, jefes, kingpins, leaders, masters, mistresses, taskmasters, taskmistresses, leadmen, managers, overseers, principals, skippers, standard-bearers, stewards, straw bosses, superintendents, superiors, supervisors, gaffers (British), gangers (British), overlords, potentates, rulers, sovereigns, figureheads, barons, czarinas, czars, kings, magnates, moguls, presidents, princes, princesses, queens, big cheeses, big guns, bigwigs, top dogs, top guns, coheads, coleaders

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Higher

The most common words with a similar meaning to Higher:

advanced, developed, evolved, forward, high, improved, late, progressive, refined

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Higher

Words with the opposite meaning of Higher:

backward, low, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary, undeveloped

Related Words for Higher

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

Near Antonyms of Higher

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

Word Forms of Higher

Derived words: higher critic (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Higher

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

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Higher

higher criticism, higher education, higher law, higher learning, higher-up, higher power, a higher purpose, institution of higher learning

Frequently Asked Questions about Higher

What does "Higher" mean?

"Higher" 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, a noun and a noun phrase, 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.

What is another word for "Higher"?

Other words for "Higher" include advanced, developed, evolved, forward, high, improved, late and progressive. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Higher" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Higher"?

There are 43 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Higher". Common alternatives include advanced, developed, evolved, forward, high, improved, late, progressive and refined.

What is the opposite of "Higher"?

Antonyms of "Higher" include backward, low, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary and undeveloped. Near antonyms include green, immature, underdeveloped and undersized.

How do you use "Higher" in a sentence?

Examples of "Higher" in a sentence: "an institute of higher learning"; "higher primates, such as the apes".

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

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

How do you pronounce "Higher"?

"Higher" is pronounced /ˈhī/ as an adjective and /ˌhī-ər-ˈəp/ as a noun.

What is the origin of the word "Higher"?

"Higher" comes from Middle English, from Old English hēah; akin to Old High German hōh high, Lithuanian kaukaras hill. First known use: before 12th century.