high and dry

adjective

Synonyms of high and dry next

: being out of reach of the current or tide or out of the water

: being in a helpless or abandoned position

Examples of high and dry in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

When our unused fields are high and dry and the neighbors next to them are underwater, that’s a problem. —

Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 31 July 2024 But her wife ended up leaving her and left her high and dry. —

Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024 So instead of having the option for buying a PS5 Pro with or without a disc drive (the practice Sony started with the very first PS5 at launch), you’re only left high and dry to get your own. —

Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 11 Sep. 2024 Although today’s furry house rulers can enjoy fishy feasts while staying high and dry, since time immemorial, wild cats have apparently been willing to get their paws wet to snag some tasty treats. —

Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for high and dry

Word History

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of high and dry was in 1727

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“High and dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high%20and%20dry. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation