VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

high-level

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌhaɪ ˈlev.əl/
US/ˌhaɪ ˈlev.əl/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Involving people of senior rank or matters of great importance.

    Grammar: Usually before a noun: a high-level meeting.

    Patterns

    • high-level talks
    • high-level official

    Diplomats held high-level talks in Geneva.

    A high-level official resigned this morning.

    The report went to a high-level committee.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    General and broad, without small details.

    Grammar: Often used in work contexts: a high-level overview.

    Patterns

    • a high-level overview
    • a high-level view

    Give me a high-level overview of the plan.

    The slides offer a high-level summary only.

    We need a high-level view before the details.

  3. adjectivebefore a nouncomputingtechnical

    Of a computer language, close to human language and far from machine code.

    Grammar: Almost always in the phrase high-level language.

    Patterns

    • a high-level language

    Python is a high-level language that beginners often learn first.

    High-level code is translated into machine code before it runs.

    Most apps are written in high-level languages.

Common combinations

high-level talks
High-level talks began between the two nations.
high-level overview
She gave a high-level overview of the budget.
high-level language
A high-level language is easier to read than machine code.
high-level meeting
A high-level meeting was held at the embassy.
high-level decision
It was a high-level decision made by the board.

Synonyms and how they differ

senior
Senior describes the rank of a person, while high-level can describe talks, plans or code.
top-level
Top-level suggests the very highest rank, while high-level can be one step below.
general
General means not detailed, but does not suggest the viewpoint of someone at the top.
abstract
Abstract suggests ideas rather than details, and is used for thinking, not people.

Opposites

low-leveldetailed

Word family

high adjective
above the usual level
level noun
a position on a scale
low-level adjective
junior, detailed, or close to machine code
high-ranking adjective
holding a senior position

Commonly confused: high-level or low-level?

high-level vs low-level

Low-level is the opposite: junior in rank, detailed, or close to machine code.

Practice

A manager asks for a 'high-level summary'. What does she want?

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “high-level”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words