as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
the inadequate supplies of vaccine left many people high and dry when the flu season arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of high and dry
But her wife ended up leaving her and left her high and dry.
—
Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
The Cowboys have been left high and dry after mismanaging their RB room, all while Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb continue to try to make ends meet.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Jan. 2025
President-elect Trump repeatedly blamed Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for water unavailability, after efforts to fill massive storage tanks left fire hydrants high and dry.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
And while the company has sports rights, its hoards them for CBS and Paramount+, leaving the cable channels high and dry.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for high and dry
Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
The Cowboys have been left high and dry after mismanaging their RB room, all while Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb continue to try to make ends meet.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Jan. 2025
President-elect Trump repeatedly blamed Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for water unavailability, after efforts to fill massive storage tanks left fire hydrants high and dry.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
And while the company has sports rights, its hoards them for CBS and Paramount+, leaving the cable channels high and dry.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for high and dry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high and dry
Adjective
-
Abuse survivors can feel helpless trying to escape perpetrators or avoid being found and stalked when the safeguards in place are repeatedly violated, experts said, as in Lisa’s case.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Now, with the help of their dad’s right-hand woman Lucky (Poorna Jagannathan), the helpless brothers must assume the position as co-heads of his drug cartel.—
Max Gao,
NBC News,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
John Lithgow plays an elderly care home tyrant out to drive an arrogant and partially paralyzed judge, played by Geoffrey Rush, insane in the official trailer for The Rule of Jenny Pen, which dropped Monday.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Feb. 2025
-
The cousin also was hit with gunfire and became paralyzed, prosecutors said.—
Sara Schilling,
Sacramento Bee,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Many offensive cyber firms set up shop in countries with weak regulations, providing hacking tools and services to buyers worldwide.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
-
As the market sell-off gains steam, a handful of quality stocks could outperform and buck the broader weak trend for equities, according to Bernstein.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Anyone can file a petition in probate court in Florida seeking to declare an adult incompetent to handle their own affairs, though, typically, such petitions are submitted by family members worried their elderly relatives can no longer care for themselves.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2025
-
But Marshall can’t do it alone and teams up with his former high school lab partner Frances Applewhite (voiced by Emily Pendergast), who works for a sinking pharmaceutical company as the assistant to incompetent CEO Rick Kruger (voiced by executive producer Mike Judge).—
Bill Desowitz,
IndieWire,
3 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“High and dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high%20and%20dry. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share