Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

leave someone high and dry

idiom
/liːv ˈsʌmwʌn haɪ ənd draɪ/
Definition
To abandon someone in a difficult situation without help.
Examples
  • After promising to help with the project, she left him high and dry at the last minute.
  • The company left its employees high and dry when it suddenly went bankrupt.
  • He felt abandoned when his friends left him high and dry during the difficult times.
Meaning
When you leave someone high and dry, you leave them in a tough spot where they cannot manage on their own. It often implies a lack of support or assistance when it is most needed.
Synonyms
  • abandon
  • desert
  • forsake
  • leave in the lurch