high concept

American  

noun

1. a simple and often striking idea or premise, as of a story or film, that lends itself to easy promotion and marketing.

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high concept British  

noun

1. 1. popular appeal

   2.  high-concept.  ( as modifier )

      Baz Luhrmann's high-concept Romeo and Juliet

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Etymology

Origin of high concept

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

It is a little frustrating to read a novel this unengaged with its own high concept.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

The limited-edition soda is the latest in the company’s Creations line, which has featured other short-time soda offerings around other high concept “flavors,” including Coca-Cola Move, Coca-Cola Dreamworld, and Coca-Cola Soul Blast.

From Washington Times • Sep. 12, 2023

The epitome of low-budget high concept, this impressively sustained but often irritatingly overwritten real-time exercise features an ever-assured Johnson as a streetwise young traveler and Sean Penn as her very loquacious cab driver.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2023

Though the film stars a hearing actor as a deaf man, its high concept, mixed with luscious gore, adds fresh wrinkles to the action genre.

From New York Times • Mar. 24, 2023

To that high concept there can be no end save victory.

From State of the Union Address by Roosevelt, Franklin Delano