Definitions

knee-high

[nee-hahy, nee-hahy] / ˈniˈhaɪ, ˈniˌhaɪ /

ADJECTIVE

short

Synonyms

STRONGEST

low small thick tiny

STRONG

compact diminutive little petite pocket slight squat stunted wee

WEAK

chunky close to the ground pint-sized pocket-sized runty sawed-off skimpy squatty stocky stubby thickset undersized

Antonyms

STRONGEST

big enormous huge large

STRONG

tall

WEAK

enough high lengthy long

ADJECTIVE

small

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cramped limited meager microscopic miniature minuscule modest narrow paltry poor short slight small-scale young

STRONG

baby bantam diminutive little mini minute petite petty scanty shrimp toy trifling wee

WEAK

bitty humble immature inadequate inconsequential inconsiderable insufficient picayune piddling pint-sized pitiful pocket-sized puny runty scrubby stunted teensy teeny trivial undersized unpretentious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

adequate big fat great huge important large liberal rich significant substantial sufficient tall thick unlimited unrestricted wealthy wide

STRONG

consequential giant useful

WEAK

benevolent broad-minded considerate distinguished enormous excellent famous fine generous giving immense kind untrivial

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The minutes-long standstill forced several people into the street; many more, including my husband and his cane, engaged in a potentially perilous stutter-step around the two knee-high, randomly moving yet noncommunicative vehicles.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

In Nyakach, in the west, children walked through knee-high water and residents scooped water from inundated houses -- though some were submerged up to the roof.

From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026

The seedlings and saplings are mostly knee-high to chest-high and mixed with thickets of ceanothus and other post-fire brush growing amid the true giants that stand dead among them.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

After all, Bizot brought down Murphy with a knee-high challenge - although it was not with studs leading.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

Marco walked up as Chase was staring at a painting of a man holding a whip, dressed in a red coat, white pants, knee-high black boots, and a black top hat.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith