high-rise

high-rise — noun

IPA/ˈhaɪ raɪz/
IPA/ˈhaɪ raɪz/

1. a tall residential or commercial structure that rises many storeys above the gro

1.nounB1
Definition

a tall residential or commercial structure that rises many storeys above the ground

Example

Théo's architecture firm designed a 40-floor high-rise in the business district.

countable: a [number]-floor high-rise

Ritu lives on the 25th floor of a high-rise near the city park.

preposition: on the [number] floor of a high-rise

Common collocations
  • live in a high-rise
  • work in a high-rise
  • build / construct a high-rise
  • design a high-rise
  • a 20-floor / 30-storey high-rise
  • a glass / concrete high-rise
  • a downtown / city-centre high-rise
  • a luxury high-rise
Synonyms
  • tower block

    common in British English; often refers to residential buildings

  • apartment building

    broader term; not all apartment buildings are tall

  • skyscraper

    usually much taller than a typical high-rise, 40+ floors

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

usually singular or plural with number

often used with a location phrase

Usage Note

High-rise is most commonly used for residential apartment buildings and office towers built in cities since the mid-20th century. Skyscraper implies a notably taller building, usually over 40–50 floors.

Common Mistakes

They live in a high-rise.' (no confusion, but...
They live in a high-rise apartment building.
'high-rise' alone is fine as a noun, but learners sometimes think it must always be followed by 'building.' Both forms are correct.)
The highrise was built in 1999.
The high-rise was built in 1999.
The compound is always hyphenated.

high-rise — adjective

IPA/ˈhaɪ.raɪz/
IPA/ˈhaɪ.raɪz/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A high-rise is a tall multi-floor building, typically residential or office, common in cities worldwide. A skyscraper is notably taller — usually 40+ floors — and often has a striking architectural design; not every high-rise qualifies as a skyscraper. Tower block is the preferred British term for a residential high-rise and often carries a more utilitarian, mid-20th-century connotation. Apartment building is the broadest term and includes low-rise walk-ups as well as tall structures. For example, a 12-floor apartment building is a high-rise but not a skyscraper; a 60-floor office tower in Hong Kong would be called both a high-rise and a skyscraper.

high-rise ↗skyscraper ↗tower blockapartment building

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • high-rise living
  • high-rise construction
  • high-rise architecture

Prepositions

  • in a high-rise
  • on the [floor] of a high-rise
  • from a high-rise

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining the adjective 'high' and the noun 'rise', referring to a building that rises high into the air. The term came into use in the early 20th century as cities began constructing taller buildings with elevators. 'High' comes from Old English 'hēah', and 'rise' from Old English 'rīsan'.