high ground

American

noun

a position of moral or ethical superiority.

The candidate has claimed the moral high ground.

Etymology

Origin of high ground

First recorded in 1480–90; current sense dates from 1800–10

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.

It was a sunny and frosty start to the weekend in the High Peak where overnight snow sits on the high ground.

From BBC

The goal was for Chase to quickly find high ground, then plot a route that would get him out of town before the disaster caught up with him.

From Literature

They floated their way to high ground, then slid their way through the mud up to the ridge.

From Literature

However, he told them to prepare to evacuate to high ground if the mountain did erupt.

From Literature

Most Americans welcome immigrants, but they don’t want criminals in their neighborhoods, and Mr. Homan was smart to return to this high ground.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023