high school
Americannoun
noun
-
another term for grammar school
-
a secondary school from grade 7 to grade 12
-
a secondary school, the grades covered depending on the province
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of high school
First recorded in 1815–25
Compare meaning
How does high-school compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
High school kids in Durham, North Carolina. staged walk outs in defense of their classmates and families who are living in fear.
From Salon • Dec. 27, 2025
High school might be a good time to conceive of ideas, but college is where to find the network of co-founders and early employees crucial to a startup’s success.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025
High school, college, med school, it’s all the same: You dress up, get there early, sweat in the sunshine, and holler like hell when the grad’s name gets called.
From Slate • May 27, 2025
High school baseball: City Section playoff brackets for each division.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2025
High school was just a prologue to the real novel.
From "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz
![]()
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.