Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

secondary school

American  

noun

  1. a high school or a school of corresponding grade, ranking between a primary school and a college or university.

secondary school British  

noun

  1. a school for young people, usually between the ages of 11 and 18

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of secondary school

First recorded in 1825–35

Compare meaning

How does secondary-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.

In 2023, teachers at the island's secondary school went on strike over concerns about their safety, because of poor pupil behaviour.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Eligible households would receive £100 for each primary school child and £150 for each secondary school child during the summer holiday in a lump sum per household.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

The secondary school was briefly placed on lockdown before the pursuit continued.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Steffan Griffiths, of Ysgol Nantgaredig in Carmarthen, said problems attracting teachers in some secondary school subjects was "quite frightening" and he was aware of issues at primary level too.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

I knew Alhaji, Kanei, and Musa from my former secondary school.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

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.