high-backed

IPA/hˈaɪbˈakt/
IPA/hˈaɪbˈækt/

high-backed — adjective

1. describes a chair, sofa, bench, or similar piece of furniture whose upright rear

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a chair, sofa, bench, or similar piece of furniture whose upright rear section rises high enough to support the sitter's shoulders or neck.

Example

Elena chose a high-backed armchair with dark green fabric for her study.

attributive before furniture noun: high-backed armchair

The high-backed wooden bench in the hallway was carved with floral patterns.

Common collocations
  • high-backed chair
  • high-backed armchair
  • high-backed sofa
  • high-backed bench
  • high-backed seat
  • high-backed settle
Synonyms
  • tall-backed

    less common; interchangeable but suggests an even higher back

  • high-back

    used as a noun modifier in furniture catalogues ('high-back chair'); slightly less formal

  • straight-backed

    focuses on the upright angle of the back rather than its height

Antonyms
  • low-backed

    describes furniture with a short back, often used for stools or modern sofas

  • backless

    describes furniture with no back at all, such as a stool or bench

Grammar Patterns

high-backed + noun (furniture type)

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). The noun that follows is typically a piece of furniture with a seat and a back: chair, armchair, sofa, bench, or settle. The predicative use (e.g. 'the chair is high-backed') is possible but much less common.

Common Mistakes

He sat on a back-high chair.
He sat on a high-backed chair.
The correct compound form is 'high-backed,' not a reversed word order.
She bought a high-back chair.
She bought a high-backed chair.
When used as an adjective before a noun, the compound requires '-ed' (high-backed), though 'high-back' is acceptable as a noun modifier in furniture catalogues ('high-back chair').

Word family

  • high
    adjectiveA1
  • back
    nounA1
  • backed
    adjectiveB2
  • backless
    adjectiveC1
  • tall-backed
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four describe furniture with an upright rear section, but they differ in emphasis and register. 'High-backed' is the standard compound adjective — neutral in tone and understood by all speakers. 'Tall-backed' is less common and slightly more dramatic, often used for especially high chair backs (e.g. cathedral stalls or thrones). 'High-back' (without -ed) functions as a noun modifier in furniture-industry catalogues ('high-back chair') but is less idiomatic in everyday speech. 'Straight-backed' describes the angle (upright, not reclining) rather than the height, so a chair may be straight-backed without being high-backed. For everyday use, 'high-backed' is the safest and most natural choice.

high-backed ↗tall-backedhigh-back ↗straight-backed ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

A compound adjective formed in English from 'high' (Old English hēah, of Germanic origin) + 'backed' (from 'back', Old English bæc, also Germanic, plus the -ed suffix forming adjectives from nouns). The word has been used to describe furniture since at least the 17th century, when tall-backed wooden chairs became popular in dining halls and public rooms.