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
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Recent Examples of high and dry
Sheryl Crow didn't mean to leave her fans high and dry in Atlanta.
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Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2024
European countries, fearing Chinese economic retaliation, could end up leaving Washington high and dry, fracturing the transatlantic alliance in the process.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 26 Apr. 2023
Chris Brown appeared less than pleased after a set malfunction during his New Jersey concert left him hanging high and dry… literally.
—EW.com, 13 June 2024
How much longer will the Navy be left high and dry?
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for high and dry 
Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2024
European countries, fearing Chinese economic retaliation, could end up leaving Washington high and dry, fracturing the transatlantic alliance in the process.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 26 Apr. 2023
Chris Brown appeared less than pleased after a set malfunction during his New Jersey concert left him hanging high and dry… literally.
—EW.com, 13 June 2024
How much longer will the Navy be left high and dry?
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for high and dry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high and dry
Adjective
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Elizabeth Taylor felt helpless learning a close friend's fate along with the world.Angela Andaloro, People.com, 19 Oct. 2024
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Zimbardo spent the rest of his career promoting his theory that humans are helpless against the evil that lies in wait within us to be triggered by circumstance.Judy Berman, TIME, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Despite the prime minister’s assurances, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a U.N. official said the government remains paralyzed.Sarah el Deeb, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
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There was the woman who came to every meeting combative and quick-tempered (fight), the one who broke down in tears at every one-on-one and eventually took extended leave (flight), and the one who seemed paralyzed by the sheer volume of work (freeze).Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Scene-to-scene continuity is typically weak and telling.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Capasa noted that a negative third quarter impacted by weak internal demand, the slowdown of purchases from Chinese customers and overall geopolitical instability kept worsening the cautious scenario already registered in the first half of the year.Sandra Salibian, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The case was suspended earlier this year because the aging McCarrick was deemed incompetent to stand for trial.Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Robert Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
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Trump's nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is saying that women are incompetent and that their presence in the military causes love triangles and drama.Tonya Mosley, NPR, 25 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near high and dry
Cite this Entry
“High and dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high%20and%20dry. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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