high
high
Pronunciation
First Syllable: /haɪ/
/h/: voiceless glottal fricative
/aɪ/: diphthong (as in "my" or "sky")
Word Form Variations
Adjective: high, higher, highest
Adverb: high, highly
Noun: high (countable and uncountable, though less common as a plural noun in general use, e.g., "the highs and lows"), highness (rarely used for "high" itself, more for royalty or a state of being high), high-rise
Verb: high (less common as a direct verb, but can be used in phrasal verbs like "high-five"), heighten
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
Definition 1: Extending a great distance upward; having a great or specified height.
Synonyms: tall, elevated, lofty, towering
Antonyms: low, short, stunted
Example: The mountain peak was incredibly high, shrouded in clouds.
Definition 2: Of superior quality, rank, or importance.
Synonyms: excellent, supreme, elevated, prominent, significant
Antonyms: low, inferior, poor, insignificant
Example: She holds a high position within the company.
Definition 3: Elevated in pitch; sharp in sound.
Synonyms: piercing, shrill, acute, keen
Antonyms: low, deep, bass, muffled
Example: The soprano sang the high notes effortlessly.
Definition 4: (Of a price or amount) Large or greater than usual.
Synonyms: expensive, costly, substantial, steep
Antonyms: low, cheap, inexpensive, negligible
Example: Gas prices are unusually high this month.
Definition 5: Experiencing an intense feeling of euphoria or exhilaration, often due to drug use.
Synonyms: euphoric, elated, stimulated, stoned (informal)
Antonyms: sober, depressed, down, low
Example: After winning the championship, the team was on a high.
Adverb
Definition 1: At or to a great height; aloft.
Synonyms: upward, skyward, aloft, overhead
Antonyms: low, downward, beneath
Example: The eagle soared high above the cliffs.
Definition 2: In a high-pitched manner.
Synonyms: shrilly, piercingly, acutely
Antonyms: lowly, deeply
Example: She sang high, reaching the difficult notes with ease.
Noun
Definition 1: A high level, place, or state.
Synonyms: peak, summit, zenith, maximum, apex
Antonyms: low, nadir, minimum, bottom
Example: The stock market reached a new high today.
Definition 2: A state of euphoria or exhilaration.
Synonyms: ecstasy, elation, bliss, buzz (informal)
Antonyms: depression, slump, blues, low
Example: She was riding a high after her successful performance.
Definition 3: An area of high pressure in the atmosphere.
Synonyms: anticyclone
Antonyms: low (pressure system), depression
Example: The weather forecast predicts a high moving in, bringing clear skies.
Examples of Use
Books:
"His face, once so high and proud, was now etched with the lines of defeat." (Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings)
"The old house stood on a high bluff overlooking the restless sea." (Du Maurier, Rebecca)
Newspapers:
"Inflation remains high, posing a challenge for the central bank." (The Wall Street Journal)
"Police warn of high-speed chases in residential areas." (Daily Nation)
"Analysts predict a high demand for renewable energy in the coming decade." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Why is the cost of living so high in major cities?" (Forbes.com)
"Experts caution against driving while high on cannabis, even in states where it's legal." (WebMD.com)
"The new smartphone boasts a high-resolution display and extended battery life." (TechCrunch.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Music: "I'm on a high, high, high / Feelin' like I can touch the sky." (Lyrics from a popular song, artist and title vary widely, but "high" for euphoria is common)
Film/TV: "That's a pretty high bar to set for yourself, detective." (Dialogue from a crime drama series, e.g., Line of Duty)
Video Games: "You've reached the high score! Congratulations!" (Common message in arcade-style games, e.g., Pac-Man)
Podcasts: "Our guest today is a high-ranking official from the Department of Justice." (From a news or interview podcast, e.g., The Daily)
Social Media: (Often used informally) "Feeling so high after that concert last night!" (Tweet on X/Twitter) or "New personal high for deadlifts today!" (Instagram caption with a gym photo)
General Public Discourse:
"The water levels in the river are unusually high after all the rain." (Spoken conversation)
"He's aiming for a high distinction in his exams." (Conversation about academic performance)
"The cost of petrol is too high these days." (Complaint heard in public)
"Keep your spirits high, we'll get through this." (Encouragement given to someone facing difficulty)
"She's always setting high standards for herself." (Observation about someone's work ethic)
10 Famous Quotes Using High
"The high road is always the best." (African Proverb)
"Aim high, and you won't be a wanderer." (Indian Proverb)
"Keep your heels, head, and standards high." (Coco Chanel)
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." (Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles)
"A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" (Robert Browning, Andrea del Sarto) – Metaphorical use of 'reach high'
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." (Winston Churchill) – Implies a 'high' level of perseverance
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) – Relates to maintaining a 'high' sense of self
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on." (Steve Jobs) – Implies aiming for a 'high' level of passion and dedication
"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden) – Relates to the 'high' cost of certain pursuits
"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else." (Booker T. Washington) – A metaphorical 'high' through helping others
Etymology
The word "high" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back thousands of years!
Imagine our distant ancestors speaking a very old language called Proto-Indo-European (PIE). This was spoken even before languages like Latin or Greek came about. From this ancient language, there was a root word, something like kewk-, which had the basic idea of "to elevate" or "height."
As people moved and their languages changed over time, this PIE root evolved into a Proto-Germanic word, something like hauhaz. This word still carried the meaning of "high."
From Proto-Germanic, the word passed into Old English, which is the earliest form of the English language spoken from about the 5th to the 11th century. In Old English, it was spelled hēah.
The first known uses of hēah in Old English carried a range of meanings very similar to how we use "high" today. It referred to:
Physical height: Being tall or extending far upwards. Think of "a high mountain."
Rank or importance: Someone of "high" status or a "high" position.
Exalted or sublime: Something grand or magnificent, like "high heavens."
Deep (of sound or water): Interestingly, it could also mean "deep" in some contexts, such as a deep body of water or a low-pitched sound, though this meaning is less common in modern "high."
So, when you say "high" today, you're using a word that has been around for an incredibly long time, carrying essentially the same core idea of "elevated" or "above" through various stages of language development. The "gh" in "high" actually represents a sound that used to be a guttural (throat) sound in older forms of the word, which has since disappeared in modern English pronunciation.
Phrases + Idioms Containing High
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "high":
High and mighty: Acting superior or arrogant.
High spirits: Feeling cheerful and lively.
High time: The appropriate time for something to happen, often indicating it's overdue.
High-profile: Attracting a lot of public attention.
High-five: A gesture of celebration or greeting where two people slap their open hands together.
High stakes: A situation involving great risk or potential reward.
High praise: Strong approval or admiration.
High road: The morally correct or honorable course of action.
High and dry: Left in a difficult or helpless situation without help.
High seas: The open ocean, outside the territorial waters of any country.
High hopes: Strong expectations or optimism for the future.
High season: The busiest or most popular time of year for a particular activity or place.
High-pitched: (Of a sound) having a high frequency; shrill.
High-tech: Using or involving advanced technology.
To be on a high: To be in a state of euphoria or great excitement.
To have a high opinion of (someone/something): To think well of.
To pay a high price: To suffer serious consequences for an action.
To live the high life: To live in a luxurious and extravagant way.
To aim high: To set ambitious goals.
To think highly of: To have a good opinion of.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of high from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
