Meaning & use
taking the high road
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Meanings
phraseidiom
choosing to behave in a morally good or mature way, especially when it would be easier to react angrily or unfairly
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; the base form is 'take the high road', and it is often followed by 'by doing something' or 'and doing something'.
Patterns
- take the high road
- take the high road by doing something
- take the high road and do something
Instead of arguing back, she took the high road and simply walked away.
He decided to take the high road by admitting his mistake and apologizing.
Taking the high road isn't always easy, but it often earns you more respect.
phraseidiom
choosing a course of action that is more ethical or principled than a simpler, more selfish option
Grammar: Often used in discussions about business, politics, or personal conduct, where a choice between right and wrong is involved.
Patterns
- take the high road on something
- take the high road in a situation
The company took the high road on environmental issues, even though it cost them money.
In the debate, she took the high road and focused on real solutions rather than personal attacks.
Common combinations
- take the high road
- When someone insulted him, he chose to take the high road and not respond.
- decide to take the high road
- After thinking it over, they decided to take the high road and forgive the mistake.
- take the high road by doing something
- She took the high road by helping her rival instead of competing.
- take the high road in an argument
- It's hard to take the high road in an argument when you feel you're right.
Synonyms and how they differ
- do the right thing
- This is a more general phrase meaning to act morally; 'take the high road' often implies resisting the temptation to retaliate.
- turn the other cheek
- This specifically means not fighting back when someone hurts you, while 'take the high road' can also mean choosing a more ethical option in general.
Opposites
Word family
- high road noun
- The morally superior or more ethical course of action.
- low road noun
- The less ethical or more selfish course of action.
Commonly confused: taking the high road or highway?
taking the high road vs highway
A 'highway' is a main road for vehicles, while 'the high road' in this idiom refers to moral behavior, not an actual road.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'taking the high road' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The idiom 'taking the high road' means choosing to act morally or maturely, as in option B. Option A confuses it with a literal road, option C describes the opposite behavior, and option D is a literal misinterpretation.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “taking the high road”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.