tall

tall — adjective

1. having a height that is noticeably greater than what is usual for people or thin

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

having a height that is noticeably greater than what is usual for people or things of the same type; also used after a number or measurement to state someone's or something's exact height.

Example

Owen is the tallest boy in his class, standing well above the other children.

superlative: tallest in [group]

The new office building is twenty stories tall and blocks our view of the hills.

measurement structure: number + unit + tall

Common collocations
  • tall building
  • tall tree
  • tall man
  • tall woman
  • tall glass
  • tall plant
  • feet tall
  • metres tall
  • grow tall
  • stand tall
Synonyms
  • high

    'High' refers to distance above the ground, not the shape of the object itself (a high shelf, a high mountain), whereas 'tall' describes an object whose vertical dimension is greater than its width.

  • lofty

    More formal and literary; suggests impressive height and often thinness (lofty tower, lofty pine). Much less common than 'tall'.

  • big

    More general; can refer to any dimension or size. Less precise than 'tall' when describing vertical height specifically.

Antonyms
  • short

    Direct opposite for both people and objects (a short man, a short wall).

Grammar Patterns

tall + noun

be + tall

number + unit + tall

Usage Note

Measurements of height always come before 'tall', never after it: 'six feet tall' (not 'tall six feet'). For people, 'tall' contrasts with 'short'; for objects with a clear vertical dimension (buildings, trees, glasses), 'tall' contrasts with 'low' or 'short' depending on the object.

Common Mistakes

She is tall 170 centimetres.
She is 170 centimetres tall.
The measurement always goes before 'tall', not after it.
He is more tall than his brother.
He is taller than his brother.
One-syllable adjectives like 'tall' use the -er suffix for the comparative form.

2. used to describe a task or request that is very hard to complete or fulfil becau

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe a task or request that is very hard to complete or fulfil because it demands too much effort, time, or money.

Example

Finishing the renovation in just two weeks is a tall order for the small crew.

fixed phrase: tall order

The manager called Mayumi's raise request after two months a tall order.

call + [something] + a tall order

Common collocations
  • tall order
  • quite a tall order
  • very tall order
  • a tall ask
Synonyms
  • difficult

    More general and neutral in register. 'Tall order' is stronger and more informal — it suggests the task is almost unreasonable.

  • challenging

    More positive in tone; implies the difficulty is interesting rather than unreasonable.

  • formidable

    More formal; suggests the task inspires fear or respect due to its size or difficulty.

Antonyms
  • easy

    Direct opposite in terms of difficulty level.

Grammar Patterns

it + be + a tall order + to-infinitive

[something] + be + a tall order

Usage Note

This sense only appears in the fixed expression 'a tall order' (or informally 'a tall ask'). You cannot use 'tall' alone to mean 'difficult' with other nouns — 'a tall mission' or 'a tall task' are not natural.

Common Mistakes

Getting everyone to agree is a tall task.
Getting everyone to agree is a tall order.
'Tall' in this sense only combines with 'order', not with other nouns like 'task', 'job', or 'mission'.

3. used to describe a story or account that is greatly exaggerated, containing deta

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe a story or account that is greatly exaggerated, containing details that are hard to believe, usually told to amuse people rather than to deceive them.

Example

Grandpa told us a tall tale of catching a fish as long as a boat.

fixed phrase: tall tale

Lukas laughed off the rumour as just another tall story someone had made up.

fixed phrase: tall story

Common collocations
  • tall tale
  • tall story
  • tell a tall tale
Synonyms
  • exaggerated

    Neutral and factual; 'exaggerated' simply means made to seem larger or more dramatic than reality.

  • fantastic

    Can mean both 'extremely good' and 'hard to believe'; context determines which meaning applies.

  • unbelievable

    Stronger in tone; suggests the story is genuinely hard to accept as true.

Antonyms
  • truthful

    Describes an account that stays close to the facts.

Grammar Patterns

tall + tale

tall + story

Usage Note

Almost always appears in the fixed phrases 'tall tale' (more common in American English) or 'tall story' (more common in British English). Unlike 'lie', a 'tall tale' is told for entertainment and listeners usually know it is exaggerated.

Common Mistakes

He told a tall lie about his weekend.
He told a tall tale about his weekend.
'Tall' combines only with 'tale' or 'story' for this meaning, not with 'lie', 'joke', or 'rumour'.
Idioms

be a tall order

idiom

Something that is very hard to achieve or complete.

Finishing this project in one day is a tall order.

Do you think winning the championship is a tall order?

great/tall oaks from little acorns grow

idiom

Large successful things often start from very small beginnings.

Her small bakery became a national chain; great oaks from little acorns grow.

Don't ignore small ideas; tall oaks from little acorns grow.

stand tall

idiom

To show confidence and strength, especially in a difficult situation.

After the defeat, the coach told the team to stand tall.

She stood tall despite the harsh criticism from the audience.

walk tall

idiom

To feel proud and self-assured.

After winning the award, he walked tall into the room.

You should walk tall knowing you did your best.

Word family

  • tallness
    nounC1
  • tallish
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Tall, high, long, and lofty all relate to measurement, but each emphasises a different dimension. Tall describes the vertical extent of an object whose height is noticeably greater than its width — used for people, trees, buildings, and narrow containers (a tall man, a tall glass). High focuses on the distance of something above the ground or another reference point, regardless of the object's shape (a high shelf, a high mountain — even a flat plateau is high). Long measures the greatest dimension horizontally or along the main axis, which for stretched objects is length, not height (a long rope, a long road). Lofty is a more formal and literary synonym for tall, suggesting something impressively elevated and often slender (lofty cathedral spire, lofty pine tree). In everyday speech, tall is the natural choice for describing a person's height ('How tall are you?'), while high would be unnatural ('How high are you?' is wrong for people). For buildings, both tall and high are possible: 'a tall building' emphasises its many storeys, while 'a high building' emphasises its position above the ground.

tall ↗high ↗long ↗lofty

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • as tall as
  • so tall that

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'tall' comes from Old English 'getæl', which originally meant 'swift, prompt, or active'. Over time in Middle English, the meaning shifted to 'brave, comely, or good-looking', and then by the 1400s to 'stately or imposing in height' — the sense we use today. The figurative meaning 'hard to believe' (as in 'tall tale') developed in 19th-century American English, comparing an exaggerated story to something impressively large or stretched.