high relief

American  

noun

Sculpture.

1. sculptured relief in which volumes are strongly projected from the background.

---

high relief British  

noun

1. Also called: alto-relievo.  relief in which forms and figures stand out from the background to half or more than half of their natural depth

---

Etymology

Origin of high relief

First recorded in 1875–80

Compare meaning

How does high-relief compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• high relief vs. low relief

Example Sentences

This stark dichotomy puts Amina, stunningly sung and acted by Nadine Sierra, into high relief on stage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

To show their differences in high relief, but also to show unexpected similarities.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2023

Interracial relationships throw this into high relief, pushing cultural and racial differences to the fore⁠—the key edges of those puzzle pieces.

From Salon • Aug. 21, 2022

But the effects of the pandemic cast the two men’s differing visions into high relief.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2022

Two of these bands are in low relief; the third is in high relief, with a hole bored in the centre of each spiral for the insertion of glass or metal ornaments.

From A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum, Volume I (of 2) by Smith, A. H.