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Synonyms

high-up

American  
[hahy-uhp] / ˈhaɪˈʌp /

adjective

  1. holding a high position or rank.

noun

plural

high-ups

  1. a person holding a high position or rank; higher-up.

high-up British  

noun

  1. informal a person who holds an important or influential position

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of high-up

First recorded in 1865–70; noun, adj. use of high up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Raising their beds off the ground can keep older dogs away from draughts, while cats may like playing or resting in high-up dens or on climbing posts.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

And since there really isn’t any other comparable search engine, advertisers really need Google to place them in a high-up position, within the first page or two of search results.

From Slate • Sep. 24, 2023

Their entire scheme was later revealed by Mark Tinsley, the Beach family's civil attorney, who found that the Murdaughs were close acquaintances with several high-up officials working on the investigation.

From Salon • Feb. 24, 2023

Brianna: Most of the MeToo hashtags I’ve seen have been celebrities or people in high-up positions — high-profile people.

From New York Times • Feb. 22, 2022

I tell myself this, over and over, until dawn comes, and a patch of weak morning sunlight seeps through the high-up windows.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.