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Glite Dictionary
to maintain the high ground

to maintain the high ground

6.7
Keep a morally better or stronger position in an argument
  • idiom
translation icon : mantener la posición alta
  • During the debate, she aimed to maintain the high ground by focusing on facts rather than personal attacks.

Examples

  • I will, however, maintain the high ground and play by the rules and wait for the laws to change.

    Blog text (30)

  • In order to win the negotiation, it is important to maintain the high ground and not resort to unethical tactics.

  • You have to you, although you do have to maintain the moral high ground, which you talk about.

  • But at the same time, the BJP government sought to maintain the moral high ground by reiterating the official commitment to a comprehensive ban on underground nuclear testing.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Despite facing criticism, he chose to maintain the high ground by addressing the issues with integrity.

Synonyms

to stand up
vsto maintain the high ground
293 3.2

To defend yourself when someone treats you unfairly

preserves advantage or moral superiority rather than just standing firm
to stand your ground
vsto maintain the high ground
  • Informal
25 5.7

To keep your position when others disagree

keeps advantage or moral superiority rather than only resisting change of view
to maintain the upper hand
vsto maintain the high ground
4.9

To keep an advantage or control over others

emphasizes moral or argumentative superiority rather than only control
to hold one's own
vsto maintain the high ground
  • Informal
5.0

Do as well as others in a difficult situation

focuses on holding an advantage or moral high position rather than mere performance

Antonyms

surrender
77 4.2

Giving up after defeat, for example when an army stops fighting

to fall behind
2 3.5

To move back when others move forward

How Advantageous

to overwhelm
42 4.0
to dominate
275 3.7
to maintain the high ground
6.7
to hold the cards
  • Informal
8 6.1

Surface Forms

maintain the high ground infinitive
maintained the high ground past
maintained the high ground past participle
maintaining the high ground present participle
maintains the high ground third person singular

Morphology

maintain + the + high + ground

The meaning 'to keep a position of advantage or moral superiority' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'maintain' (to keep) + 'high' (superior) + 'ground' (position/advantage). This composition uses a common spatial-to-abstract metaphor (high = superior) found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the words would very likely infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Maintain the high ground comes from battles where soldiers tried to hold the higher land. If you held the high ground you could see more and defend better, so today to maintain the high ground means to keep an 'advantage' or to act with 'moral superiority'.