1
a
: high in stature
b
: of a specified height
five feet tall
2
a
: of considerable height
tall trees
b
: long from bottom to top
a tall book
c
: of a higher growing variety or species of plant
3
a
: large or formidable in amount, extent, or degree
a tall order to fill
b
: pompous, high-flown
tall talk about the vast mysteries of life—
W. A. White
W. A. White
c
: highly exaggerated : incredible, improbable
a tall story
4
obsolete
: brave, courageous
Examples of tall in a Sentence
All the children in my family grew up to be very tall.
My mother is short but my father is fairly tall.
The giraffe is the tallest animal.
The drinks were served in tall glasses.
She is five feet tall.
Recent Examples on the Web
The work depicts Elizabeth standing tall while wearing a state robe and a crown.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Like Sofie Green, Araujo — a tall, affable millennial with a smile as warm as the sun — is a local celebrity, known for blending business acumen with a commitment to inclusion.
—Jennifer Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
Several different members of our household (including a senior adult, a tall adult, and a petite adult) tried out the chair.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2024
Along the highway in Lahaina, there are memorials to those who died, along with tall fences decorated with uplifting art made by students from around Maui.
—Christine Sarkis, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
It was issued for the apparent abduction of 1-year-old Roman Huizar, who officials described as 2 feet tall with brown hair and brown eyes.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2024
Its dyed and cast concrete figures stand approximately 10 feet tall, with hollowed eyes honoring the Indigenous peoples as the first stewards of the land.
—Donovan X. Ramsey, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2024
An examination determined the leg belonged to a Black woman, approximately 5 feet tall.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
The legislation states developments with affordable and workforce housing can go as high as the tallest building within a one-mile radius.
—Rebecca San Juan, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2024
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Like Sofie Green, Araujo — a tall, affable millennial with a smile as warm as the sun — is a local celebrity, known for blending business acumen with a commitment to inclusion.
—Jennifer Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
Several different members of our household (including a senior adult, a tall adult, and a petite adult) tried out the chair.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2024
Along the highway in Lahaina, there are memorials to those who died, along with tall fences decorated with uplifting art made by students from around Maui.
—Christine Sarkis, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
It was issued for the apparent abduction of 1-year-old Roman Huizar, who officials described as 2 feet tall with brown hair and brown eyes.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2024
Its dyed and cast concrete figures stand approximately 10 feet tall, with hollowed eyes honoring the Indigenous peoples as the first stewards of the land.
—Donovan X. Ramsey, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2024
An examination determined the leg belonged to a Black woman, approximately 5 feet tall.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
The legislation states developments with affordable and workforce housing can go as high as the tallest building within a one-mile radius.
—Rebecca San Juan, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tall
Cite this Entry
“Tall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tall. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tall
adjective1
a
: having unusually great height
b
: of a specified height
five feet tall
2
a
: large in amount, extent, or degree
a tall order to fill
b
: greatly exaggerated : improbable
a tall tale
tall
adverb
tallness
noun
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