adjective
high-maintenance
HY MAYN-tuh-nuhns
High-maintenance (adjective) means of a person, needing a great deal of attention, reassurance or effort to keep happy. Example: “He's high-maintenance: three texts a day or he assumes something is wrong.”
adjective
1
informal Of a person, needing a great deal of attention, reassurance or effort to keep happy.
"He's high-maintenance: three texts a day or he assumes something is wrong."
"She warned her flatmate that she was high-maintenance about the kitchen."
2
Of a thing, requiring frequent care, servicing or expense to keep in good condition.
"A pool is beautiful and thoroughly high-maintenance."
"Silk shirts are high-maintenance compared with cotton."
How to use high-maintenance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNeeding a lot of looking after.
When to use it
Informal; the person sense is judgemental, the object sense is neutral.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
high-maintenance relationship
high-maintenance hair
high-maintenance client
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He's _____: three texts a day or he assumes something is wrong.
Etymology
According to the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, the figurative sense was popularized by the 1989 romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally....
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
low-maintenance
easy-going
undemanding
hard-wearing
Related words
Rhymes for high-maintenance
See all rhymes for high-maintenance →Frequently asked questions
Is calling someone high-maintenance an insult?
Usually, though a mild one. It suggests the person is hard work and can be unfairly aimed at anyone with clear standards or needs. Many people now use it about themselves, half-jokingly, to warn others what to expect.
What is the difference between high-maintenance and demanding?
Demanding is about what someone asks of others, often with authority behind it. High-maintenance is about the ongoing effort of keeping them content, and it applies to objects and pets as readily as to people.
Is high-maintenance hyphenated?
Hyphenate it before a noun, as in a high-maintenance garden. After the verb it can go either way, though the hyphen is still very common: the garden is high-maintenance.
What is the meaning of high-maintenance?
"high-maintenance" (adjective) means of a person, needing a great deal of attention, reassurance or effort to keep happy.
