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Synonyms

tall order

Idioms  

  1. A goal that is hard to fulfill or achieve, as in Getting a thousand new subscribers is a tall order indeed. This expression uses tall in the sense of “impressively great” or “difficult.” [c. 1900]

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.

But after more than a decade in which the central bank has operated as one of the largest players in financial markets, reducing that role without rattling the system may be a tall order.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Creating conditions for regime change through a military campaign was always a tall order, said Assaf Orion, the former head of strategic planning for the Israeli military.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

This is a tall order, however, since a stellar multi-year track record almost always attracts a lot of investment capital.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 8, 2026

As BBC News heard from locals, it might be a tall order - and not everyone is happy.

From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025

And changing the world is a tall order for someone who is just trying to survive each day.

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

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.