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
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
New Year's bowl game upsets left several College Football Playoff favorites high and dry, and now, the semifinal opponents are set.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 2 Jan. 2026
But now, thanks in part to Howard, some seem convinced the Nick Saban disciple could be enticed to take another offer and leave Texas high and dry.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
That leaves her high and dry, at the mercy of MI5 and the Dogs, but gives Farouk and his cohort Kamal a chance to position themselves at a church for maximum impact.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for high and dry
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026
New Year's bowl game upsets left several College Football Playoff favorites high and dry, and now, the semifinal opponents are set.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 2 Jan. 2026
But now, thanks in part to Howard, some seem convinced the Nick Saban disciple could be enticed to take another offer and leave Texas high and dry.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
That leaves her high and dry, at the mercy of MI5 and the Dogs, but gives Farouk and his cohort Kamal a chance to position themselves at a church for maximum impact.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for high and dry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high and dry
Adjective
-
After having put Brazil ahead minutes earlier, Richarlison popped a cross from Vinícius Júnior into the air, spun, and struck a spectacular acrobatic volley past Serbia’s helpless goalkeeper.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 June 2026
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Sharks often become bycatch – entangled in fishing nets not intended for them, they are rendered helpless and face certain death.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Hollywood on a bad day is paralyzed, absolutely paralyzed, and incapable of making new decisions.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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One of the bullets hit the teen’s spine, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down, his mother said.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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As the story goes, attendance was weak, the weather was bad, and the tournament experience was just lacking.—
James Burky,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
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As many as 40 states combine one-party control with institutional barriers weak enough to fall to political pressure.—
Bruce Sibley,
Time,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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But the reason is not as simple as an incompetent training staff.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
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There should be no place in our politics for incompetent, opportunistic operatives who violate privacy, betray trust, and prioritize vengeance over decency.—
Jared Kofsky,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“High and dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high%20and%20dry. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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