Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

high-level

American  
[hahy-lev-uhl] / ˈhaɪˈlɛv əl /

adjective

  1. undertaken by or composed of participants having a high status.

    a high-level meeting; a high-level investigation.

  2. having senior authority or high status.

    high-level personnel.

  3. (of a programming language) based on a vocabulary of Englishlike statements for writing program code rather than the more abstract instructions typical of assembly language or machine language.

  4. Military. (of aerial warfare) undertaken at or from a high altitude.

    high-level bombing; a high-level attack.
high-level British  

adjective

  1. (of conferences, talks, etc) involving very important people

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of high-level

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s all very silly, especially since Wilkins is far more famous for dating a high-level bureaucrat than for her forgettable song stylings.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026

A second round of high-level negotiations could take place in Islamabad, Pakistan, over the next several days, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters at a news briefing Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Initial high-level negotiations that took place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad over the weekend failed to produce any deal, with the US saying that Iran hadn't agreed to its terms.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

"The Israeli and Lebanese governments are engaging in open, direct, high-level diplomatic talks -- the first such talks since 1993 -- brokered by the United States," a State Department official said on condition of anonymity.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

They had also stationed a team of high-level wizards around the tomb.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.