1
as in aristocratic
being or characteristic of a person who has an offensive air of superiority and tends to ignore or disdain anyone regarded as inferior
at the wedding reception the bride's high-hat relatives did their considerable best to ignore us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
1
as in to disdain
to show contempt for
one presidential candidate presents himself as an outsider who has long been high-hatted by the Beltway elite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to isolate
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely
was high-hatted by an old college friend who's now a power player on Wall Street
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in hard hat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of high-hat
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
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
Adjective
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
Noun
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-hat
Adjective
-
In reality, McArthur was a bull-rider from Clinton and a far cry from the aristocratic type others had pegged him for, Lyons said.—
Tony Holt,
Arkansas Online,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The largely middle-class Liberals replaced Britain's aristocratic Whigs in the 19th century only to be supplanted themselves by the working-class Labor Party in the 20th century.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Ava Daniels is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
And the villains, of course, exuding every nastily relatable emotion; the stepmothers and sorceresses are vain, arrogant, dismissive, lonely, rude, and outrageous.—
Darren Franich,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The Republicans who disdained him and tried to terminate his leadership have made his point by leaving the party and becoming Democrats (or at least voting for Democrats).—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2025
-
For his second presidential term, Donald Trump stacked his health team with men who disdain the medical consensus.—
Ezekiel J. Emanuel,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
An old John Lennon demo was transformed into a complete song by isolating his vocals (and George Harrison’s guitar tone) and combining that with new recordings from the rest of the living band.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
-
However, because the patient was isolated in a hospital, the more dangerous viruses didn't transmit to others.—
Amy Maxmen | KFF Health News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
One of the suspects was wearing a neon yellow construction worker jacket and white hard hat at the time, police said.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2025
-
According to police, some have dressed as AT&T employees, wearing things like yellow safety vests and hard hats.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
In contrast, the Pixel 9, priced at $799, offers a brighter display, 12GB RAM, a superior 50MP main camera, and additional features like faster charging and Wi-Fi 7 support.—
Prakhar Khanna,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Behind them are two more NL teams — the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets — as the NL proves to be by far the superior league.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This commodification not only disrespects Indigenous cultures but also risks severing the very bonds that sustain them.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Daddy got your back, ain’t let nobody disrespect our grind.—
Emanuel Maiberg,
Wired News,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Trump’s move on Wednesday to place stiff new tariffs on imports from nearly all U.S. trading partners marks an all-in bet by the Republican that his once-fringe economic vision will pay off for Americans.—
Steve Peoples,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Felt is warm, easily dyed and stiff enough to hold a cone shape.—
Caitlin Lovinger,
New York Times,
25 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“High-hat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-hat. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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