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Definition of hightail

hightail

/ˈhaɪ.teɪl/
high · tail
Past Simple:hightailed
•
Past Participle:hightailed
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Present Participle:hightailing
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hightail Lexical Profile

hightail Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

North American To move, depart, or retreat rapidly, especially to escape trouble or danger (often used in the phrase 'hightail it').

Example

"As soon as the sudden thunderstorm began to roll in, the hikers decided to hightail it back to the cabin."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for hightail
Antonyms
View all antonyms for hightail

Word Nuance & Usage

In contemporary speech, 'hightail' is most commonly used transitively with the dummy object 'it' (e.g., 'to hightail it out of there').

• Nearby Words

highmindedness
highness
highroad
hightail
hightop
highway
highwayman

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in early 20th-century American English, referencing the habit of startled animals—such as white-tailed deer, rabbits, or mustangs—raising their tails high in the air as they bolt away from danger.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hightail. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hightail
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