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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
And early scores are the start of a steady decline in standardized math assessments through high school.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026
As his mother’s grief and legal battles to get Fadi home worsen her mental health, Sattouf’s own life is upended by high school, hormones, heartbreak — and a nagging uncertainty.
From Salon • Jun. 27, 2026
The heatwave forced the closure of thousands of schools, with those open struggling to teach pupils -- or to administer finishing exams for graduating high school seniors -- in sweltering classrooms.
From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026
He was petrified by how much had to go right for him to excel in high school, college and then decades of working.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
Having all four children obtain both high school and college degrees was a feat that would have made any family proud—Northern or Southern, Colored, White, or anything else.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
![]()
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.