high tide
Americannoun
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high tides
plural
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the tide at its highest level of elevation.
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the time of high water.
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a culminating point.
the high tide of the revolution.
noun
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the tide at its highest level
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the time at which it reaches this
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a culminating point
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The tide when it is at its highest level at a particular time and place. The highest tides reached under normal meteorological conditions (the spring tides) take place when the Moon and Sun are directly aligned with respect to Earth. High tides are less extreme (the neap tides) when the Moon and Sun are at right angles. Storms and other meteorological conditions can greatly affect the height of the tides as well.
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See more at tide
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The time at which a high tide occurs.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of high tide
before 1000; Middle English; Old English
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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.
Video footage and photos show several streets under water in Newport Beach, California, through a combination of the tropical storm swells at sea and high tide.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
"If you're traveling this weekend, give yourself extra time. Check your train, ferry, or flight before you leave, and avoid low-lying coastal roads around high tide," Mamdani said on X.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
Juyon founded the group after she was struck by the amount of rubbish floating around her boat while she was coxing on the River Avon at high tide.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
“It might not sound like a lot, but ... you add on top of it high tide, you add on top of it big waves from Marie, and we’re already getting significant coastal flooding.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
One wondered if high tide, with the wind behind it at fifty-five knots, might not swamp the town docks.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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