high school

American  

noun

1. a school attended after elementary school or junior high school and usually consisting of grades 9 or 10 through 12.

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high school British  

noun

1. another term for grammar school

2. a secondary school from grade 7 to grade 12

3. a secondary school, the grades covered depending on the province

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Other Word Forms

• high school adjective
• high schooler noun

Etymology

Origin of high school

First recorded in 1815–25

Compare meaning

How does high-school compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• secondary school vs. high school

Example Sentences

In high school, I played Dulcinea in the musical “Man of La Mancha.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Miller not only works, but she also didn’t have kids until her 30s — well over a decade older than the high school kids who anger her by prioritizing prom and graduation over baby-making.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

That was until retired high school teacher Bill McFarland's curiosity got the better of him.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

She was a more experienced writer who had no obvious reason to take an interest in someone who’d decided, against the advice of his high school English teacher, to do the same.

From Slate • Apr. 12, 2026

Daniel was about the only person from high school Boaz actually considered a friend, and he’d barely seen him since he started at Yeshiva University in the fall.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Related Words

• secondary school