as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
the inadequate supplies of vaccine left many people high and dry when the flu season arrived
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Recent Examples of high and dry
Mel is likely mad at the lawyers running her depositions, and her sister for leaving her high and dry on the Fourth of July.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
When her professor, predictably, leaves her high and dry, Margo drops out of college and makes an OnlyFans account as a last ditch effort to get some quick cash.
—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
12 Mar. 2026
And your card perks can step in when an airline leaves you high and dry during a delay.
—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
19 Feb. 2026
Kiffin instantly became the most hated man in Oxford after leaving the Rebels high and dry just as the College Football Playoff was set to begin, accepting a contract reportedly worth nearly $100 million.
—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for high and dry
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
When her professor, predictably, leaves her high and dry, Margo drops out of college and makes an OnlyFans account as a last ditch effort to get some quick cash.
—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
12 Mar. 2026
And your card perks can step in when an airline leaves you high and dry during a delay.
—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
19 Feb. 2026
Kiffin instantly became the most hated man in Oxford after leaving the Rebels high and dry just as the College Football Playoff was set to begin, accepting a contract reportedly worth nearly $100 million.
—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for high and dry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high and dry
Adjective
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The leading interpretation is that Smilodon delivered a single precise bite to the throat or belly, severing something vital in a target that was already helpless.
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Pele controls the ball in the penalty area with his thigh, flips it over the head of the defender and smashes it past a helpless Kalle Svensson.
Adjective
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The teen, who was crossing the street at the time, was run over twice by the truck, causing catastrophic injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down, local ABC affiliate WKBW reported.
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Surely there were those in attendance, and those watching, who conjured horrible thoughts of Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley being left permanently paralyzed from the chest down after taking a vicious hit from the Oakland Raiders’ Jack Tatum during a 1978 preseason game.
Adjective
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Following a year of historically weak hiring in 2025, hiring rebounded this spring.
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In a weak free-agency class, centers Robert Williams III (Portland) and Mark Williams (Phoenix) are already off the market, each reportedly agreeing to return to their current teams.
Adjective
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Her Volumnia bellows at her meek daughter-in-law, Virgilia (Justine Faith) as though reprimanding an incompetent private.
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One of the lasting side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and our catastrophically incompetent response to it is the decrease in trust in public health experts and their advice.
Cite this Entry
“High and dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high%20and%20dry. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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