highest

UK: /ˈhaɪɪst/

From high (adv):

higher

adv comparative

highest

adv superlative

From high (adj):

higher

adj comparative

highest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

high /haɪ/   adj. andadv., -er, -est, n. 
adj. 

1. (of things) having a considerable height;
   tall;
   lofty:
   a high wall.
2. (of things) having a specified height:
   The tree is 20 feet high.
3. located above the ground;
   elevated:
   a high ledge.
4. greater than or going beyond the usual degree, measure, or amount:
   high speed; high prices.
5. honorable;
   worthy of being admired;
   good:
   high moral principles.
6. exalted or important, as in rank, station, or eminence:
   a high government official.
7. of great consequence;
   grave:
   guilty of high treason.
8. Music and Dance elevated in pitch:
   high notes.
9. extending to or from an elevation:
   a high dive.
10. extravagant;
    luxurious:
    [before a noun] living the high life.
11. merry;
    happy:
    They were in high spirits.
12. [be + ~] intoxicated, drunk, or under the influence of alcohol or narcotic drugs.
13. complicated;
    advanced:
    [before a noun] an expert in high finance.
14. Automotive relating to or being the gear of a transmission at which the drive shaft speed and the speed of the engine crankshaft correspond most closely.

adv. 

15. at or to a high point, place, or level:
    The hawk was circling high above the field.
16. richly;
    luxuriously;
    extravagantly:
    to live high.

n. 

17. Automotive [uncountable] the high gear of a transmission.
18. Meteorology [countable] an atmospheric pressure system having relatively high pressure at its center.
19. a high or the highest point, place, or level;
    peak:
    [countable] a record high for unemployment.
20. Slang Terms [countable]
    • an intoxicated state caused by alcohol or narcotic drugs:
      on a high from the drug.
    • a period of sustained excitement:
      They've been on a high ever since their engagement.

Idioms

21. Nautical, Idioms high and dry, deserted;
    stranded;
    left alone:
    was left high and dry without money or friends.
22. Idioms high and low, in every possible place:
    to search high and low.
23. Idioms high on, [be + ~] enthusiastic about:
    We're very high on the new executive we hired.
24. high time, [~ + (that) clause] a time or moment that is nearly too late:
    It's high time (that) he got out of bed.
25. Idioms on high:
    • above:
      looking down from on high.
    • in heaven.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

high  (hī), adj., -er, -est, adv., -er, -est, n. 
adj. 

1. having a great or considerable extent or reach upward or vertically;
   lofty;
   tall:
   a high wall.
2. having a specified extent upward:
   The apple tree is now 20 feet high.
3. situated above the ground or some base;
   elevated:
   a high platform; a high ledge.
4. exceeding the common degree or measure;
   strong;
   intense:
   high speed; high color.
5. expensive;
   costly;
   dear:
   The price of food these days is much too high.
6. exalted in rank, station, eminence, etc.;
   of exalted character or quality:
   a high official; high society.
7. Music and Dance
   • acute in pitch.
   • a little sharp, or above the desired pitch.
8. Zoology produced by relatively rapid vibrations;
   shrill:
   the high sounds of crickets.
9. extending to or from an elevation:
   a high dive.
10. great in quantity, as number, degree, or force:
    a high temperature; high cholesterol.
11. [Relig.]
    • Religion chief;
      principal;
      main:
      the high altar of a church.
    • Religion High Church.
12. of great consequence;
    important;
    grave;
    serious;
    the high consequences of such a deed;
    high treason.
13. haughty;
    arrogant:
    He took a high tone with his subordinates.
14. advanced to the utmost extent or to the culmination:
    high tide.
15. elevated;
    merry or hilarious:
    high spirits; a high old time.
16. rich;
    extravagant;
    luxurious:
    They have indulged in high living for years.
17. Informal Terms intoxicated with alcohol or narcotics:
    He was so high he couldn't stand up.
18. remote:
    high latitude; high antiquity.
19. extreme in opinion or doctrine, esp. religious or political:
    a high Tory.
20. designating or pertaining to highland or inland regions.
21. having considerable energy or potential power.
22. Automotive of, pertaining to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which the speed of the engine crankshaft and of the drive shaft most closely correspond:
    high gear.
23. Phonetics (of a vowel) articulated with the upper surface of the tongue relatively close to some portion of the palate, as the vowels of eat and it, which are high front, and those of boot and put, which are high back. Cf. close (def. 58), low ¹ (def. 30).
24. Food (of meat, esp. game) tending toward a desirable or undesirable amount of decomposition;
    slightly tainted:
    He likes his venison high.
25. Metallurgy containing a relatively large amount of a specified constituent (usually used in combination):
    high-carbon steel.
26. Sport [Baseball.] (of a pitched ball) crossing the plate at a level above the batter's shoulders:
    The pitch was high and outside.
27. [Cards.]
    • Games having greater value than other denominations or suits.
    • Games able to take a trick;
      being a winning card.
    • Games being or having a winning combination:
      Whose hand is high?
28. Nautical, Naval Terms noting a wind of force 10 on the Beaufort scale, equal to a whole gale.
29. Informal Terms, Idioms high on, enthusiastic or optimistic about;
    having a favorable attitude toward or opinion of.

adv. 

30. at or to a high point, place, or level.
31. in or to a high rank or estimate:
    He aims high in his political ambitions.
32. at or to a high amount or price.
33. in or to a high degree.
34. luxuriously;
    richly;
    extravagantly:
    They have always lived high.
35. Nautical as close to the wind as is possible while making headway with sails full.
36. Idioms fly high, to be full of hope or elation:
    His stories began to sell, and he was flying high.
37. Nautical, Idioms high and dry:
    • Naval Terms (of a ship) grounded so as to be entirely above water at low tide.
    • in a deprived or distressing situation;
      deserted;
      stranded:
      We missed the last bus and were left high and dry.
38. Idioms high and low, in every possible place;
    everywhere:
    The missing jewelry was never found, though we searched high and low for it.

n. 

39. Automotive high gear:
    He shifted into high when the road became level.
40. Informal Terms See high school. 
41. Meteorology a pressure system characterized by relatively high pressure at its center. Cf. anticyclone, low¹ (def. 48).
42. a high or the highest point, place, or level;
    peak:
    a record high for unemployment.
43. Slang Terms
    • a euphoric state induced by alcohol, drugs, etc.
    • a period of sustained excitement, exhilaration, or the like:
      After winning the lottery he was on a high for weeks.
44. Games [Cards.] the ace or highest trump out, esp. in games of the all fours family.
45. Idioms on high:
    • at or to a height;
      above.
    • in heaven.
    • having a high position, as one who makes important decisions:
      the powers on high.

• bef. 900; Middle English heigh, variant of hegh, hey, heh, Old English hēah, hēh; cognate with Dutch hoog, Old High German hoh (German hoch), Old Norse hār, Swedish hög, Gothic hauhs, Lithuanian kaũkas swelling, kaukarà hill

Synonyms

• 1. High, lofty, tall, towering refer to something that has considerable height.
  High is a general term, and denotes either extension upward or position at a considerable height:
  six feet high; a high shelf.
  Lofty denotes imposing or even inspiring height:
  lofty crags.
  Tall is applied either to something that is high in proportion to its breadth, or to anything higher than the average of its kind:
  a tall tree, building.
  Towering is applied to something that rises to a great or conspicuous height as compared with something else:
  a towering mountain.
• 6. elevated, eminent, prominent, distinguished.
• 12. capital.

Antonyms

• 1. low.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

high / haɪ/ adjective

1. being a relatively great distance from top to bottom; tall: a high building
2. situated at or extending to a relatively great distance above the ground or above sea level: a high plateau
3. (postpositive) being a specified distance from top to bottom: three feet high
4. extending from an elevation: a high dive
5. (in combination) coming up to a specified level: knee-high
6. being at its peak or point of culmination: high noon
7. of greater than average height: a high collar
8. greater than normal in degree, intensity, or amount: high prices, a high temperature, a high wind
9. (of sound) acute in pitch; having a high frequency
10. (of latitudes) situated relatively far north or south from the equator
11. (of meat) slightly decomposed or tainted, regarded as enhancing the flavour of game
12. of great eminence; very important: the high priestess
13. exalted in style or character; elevated: high drama
14. expressing or feeling contempt or arrogance: high words
15. elated; cheerful: high spirits
16. (predicative) overexcited: by the end of term the children are really high
17. being in a state of altered consciousness, characterized esp by euphoria and often induced by the use of alcohol, narcotics, etc
18. luxurious or extravagant: high life
19. advanced in complexity or development: high finance
20. (of a gear) providing a relatively great forward speed for a given engine speed
    Compare low121
21. of, relating to, or denoting a vowel whose articulation is produced by raising the back of the tongue towards the soft palate or the blade towards the hard palate, such as for the ee in English see or oo in English moon
    
22. (capital when part of name) formal and elaborate in style: High Mass
23. (usually capital) of or relating to the High Church
24. having a relatively great value in a suit
25. high and dry ⇒ stranded; helpless; destitute
26. high and mighty ⇒ arrogant
27. high opinion ⇒ a favourable opinion

adverb

1. at or to a height: he jumped high
2. in a high manner
3. close to the wind with sails full

noun

1. a high place or level
2. a state of altered consciousness, often induced by alcohol, narcotics, etc
4. on high ⇒ at a height
5. in heaven

Etymology: Old English hēah; related to Old Norse hār, Gothic hauhs, Old High German hōh high, Lithuanian kaũkas bump, Russian kúchča heap, Sanskrit kuča bosom