What does "highball" mean?
A cocktail made from a spirit plus soda water etc.
Highball
noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A cocktail made from a spirit plus soda water etc.
- Grammar: highball is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: aperitif, arched, ball the jack, barrel.
- Useful contrasts: grounded, low, lowball.
- Usage evidence: He was excommunicated for serving the Eucharist in highball glasses.
How to use "highball"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "highball" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "highball" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "highball" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "highball" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "highball" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aperitif" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "highball", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A cocktail made from a spirit plus soda water etc.
- 2 a mixed drink made of alcoholic liquor mixed with water or a carbonated beverage and served in a tall glass wordnet
- 3 An all clear or full speed ahead signal. US
"A white ball hauled up to the crossbar indicated that the track was clear; a black ball, run up half way, meant stop. This was the origin of the use of the word "highball" to indicate a clear line ahead, which is still used in U.S.A. railway practice."
- 4 A very high bouldering problem, often with a hard landing.
"2014, EpicTV.com Austrian all rounder Alex Luger climbs what he describes as a highball boulder problem and what most people would call a solo."
- 5 Clipping of highball glass, a tall glass tumbler used for serving highballs. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping
"It's great for serving heavier drinks in. Highballs and pint glasses are excellent substitutes."
Verb
- 1 To make an estimate which tends toward exaggeration.
"If we highball the price, it comes out to $240. If we lowball it, it's closer to $200."
- 2 To move quickly; to hightail. US, dated, possibly, slang
"Booster-equipped 628 highballs west at Glen Lake, Minn., back in 1947."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"He was excommunicated for serving the Eucharist in highball glasses."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "highball"?
Common synonyms include: aperitif, arched, ball the jack, barrel, boom, bowl along.
How do you use "highball" in a sentence?
He was excommunicated for serving the Eucharist in highball glasses.
Etymology
From high + ball, of the same railroad origins as lowball.