high-hat 1 of 3

1
2
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude several high-hat society types arrived after we did, but they got seated first

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

high-hat

2 of 3

verb

high hat

3 of 3

noun

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 hat
Adjective
Carter Beauford, perhaps the most unheralded drummer in music, busied himself with syncopated patterns and dizzying high hat on the song. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2024 Instead of high hats, use wall washers, which bounce light off the walls and space. Adam Shell, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025 Going high hat just did not fit, and on Sept. 9, 1927, the Bernheimer flags came down. Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2022 It’s one of those ABBA songs that fools you with its mirror ball synths, a classic disco rhythm on the high hat and lush harmonizing. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2021 Indeed, at Thursday’s show in Charlotte, Jordan integrated Watts’ signature swing – and his unusual way of playing by not hitting the high hat and snare simultaneously – with his own muscular approach. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 1 Oct. 2021 Deja stifled a yawn and cranked up her music; the warring bass and high hat thrummed in her chest and kept her mostly awake. Brittany N. Williams, NOLA.com, 26 Oct. 2020 The song -- a frenetic trap banger built from buzzy synths and high hat -- debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 on March 2, 2013, the same week Billboard started factoring YouTube streaming data into the chart's methodology. Katie Bain, Billboard, 21 Nov. 2019 Here comes one now, rattling catastrophically, like Max Roach whaling on the high hat. Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2019
Verb
Over the last few years, a bevy of high-hat hotels have begun competing for the Big Apple’s best guests. Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2025 For the opening scene, in which a couple makes out in a car, singer Stuart A. Staples croons the title track, with some café jazz accompaniment: Bass, piano, and lightly tapped high-hat. Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2024 The bass, high-hat, guitar, and vocals all remain distinct in this busy mix and benefit from strong detail when the track fully kicks in. PCMAG, 10 July 2024 As the drummer counted in on his high-hat my mind went blank: not just on how to play the song, but how to play guitar, how to stay standing, how to blink, breathe, and stay conscious. Chris Fleming, SPIN, 4 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high hat
Adjective
  • The psychological drama, which stars Satya Dev in the title role, showcases an elaborate poster featuring the actor in aristocratic regalia surrounded by peacock feathers and ornate details.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The $80,000 price tag includes two people and almost all expenses, including five-star accommodations and a range of one-of-a-kind activities that immerse travelers in Italian culture, history, and aristocratic lifestyle, all in the lap of luxury.
    Rebecca Deurlein, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Depicting Americans as arrogant, loud, boorish and demeaning of other cultures, the term has stuck and is still mentioned 60-plus years later.
    Jenny Peters, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
  • The most radical overhaul of the tax code in our state’s history would require voter approval in November 2026, and that starts by portraying local governments as cartoonishly arrogant, bloated and unaccountable.
    Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2025
Verb
  • In the mainstream media, and the places where that brand is disdained, there is no room for attention.
    Jack Fowler, National Review, 4 July 2025
  • Even Netflix’s content factory is now licensing the very YouTube creators whom audiences once disdained as amateurs.
    Peter Bart, Deadline, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • In the 1960s, astronauts munched on quick and compact snacks called Space Food Sticks that were generally made with wheat flour, sugar, protein isolate, dry milk and flavorings.
    Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • His regime is also among the most repressive and isolated in the world, with terrible relations and almost no trade with four out of its five neighbors, and a near-total dependence on the fifth: Russia.
    Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Donning matching white hard hats, Trump and Powell took a tour of the central bank's $2.5 billion building renovation project.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 July 2025
  • Shortly after his arrival, Trump and Powell were seen touring the site together, both wearing white hard hats.
    Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 24 July 2025
Adjective
  • The Pura 80 Ultra features a large 1-inch sensor, variable aperture, and dual-periscope zoom system, delivering superior image quality.
    Paul Monckton, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
  • There’s a reason for that; Canadian arenas have superior sightlines for cameras that deliver those moving images through the videoscope.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Data from the National Center for Education Statistics showed that over one-third of teachers are disrespected by students at least once a week and suffer weekly verbal abuse from students in 17% of schools.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
  • What would Arabella say about the fact that for a few paltry bucks any fool can now buy, and then neglect and disrespect, her most treasured flora?
    A.K. Whitney, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • He is preoccupied with squaring the circle: purveying great, affordable coffee that doesn’t stiff the producer.
    Nina Caplan, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2025
  • Say goodbye to stiff towels with these tips for how to make towels soft again.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 6 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“High hat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high%20hat. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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