high season

Meanings

1. 1nounsingularBritish

   The time of year when most people travel to a place, so prices are highest and crowds are biggest.

   Grammar: Usually 'the high season' or 'in high season'.

   Patterns

   • in high season
   • during the high season

   Hotel prices double in high season.

   We avoided the high season by visiting in May.

   The beach is crowded during the high season.

2. 2nounsingular

   The busiest period for any business or activity.

   Grammar: Used outside tourism for shops, farms and industries.

   Patterns

   • the high season for something

   December is the high season for toy stores.

   Summer is the high season for ice cream sellers.

   Farmers work long hours in the high season.

Word forms

Common combinations

in high season

Flights cost more in high season.

during the high season

Book early during the high season.

the height of the high season

At the height of the high season, the town is packed.

outside high season

Outside high season, the villages are quiet.

high season prices

High season prices apply from July to August.

Synonyms and how they differ

peak season

Peak season is the usual American phrase and also stresses the single busiest point.

busy season

Busy season is plain and can apply to any business, not just travel.

tourist season

Tourist season names the cause, the visitors, while high season names the price level.

in season

In season describes foods or activities that are available, not travel prices.

Opposites

Word family

low season noun

the quiet, cheaper time of year

off-season noun

the time outside the busy period

shoulder season noun

the period between high and low season

seasonal adjective

happening at certain times of year

Commonly confused: high season or high time?

Practice

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

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