high-energy

adjective

high-en·​er·​gy ˈhī-ˈe-nər-jē 

1

a

: having such speed and kinetic energy as to exhibit relativistic departure from classical laws of motion

—used especially of elementary particles whose velocity has been imparted by an accelerator

b

: of or relating to high-energy particles

2

: yielding a relatively large amount of energy when undergoing hydrolysis

Examples of high-energy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The New York bassist, singer and songwriter has built a reputation for high-energy live performances, both as a solo artist and through her work with other musicians. — Steve Spaleta, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Work released in September, however, showed no accompanying high-energy neutrinos in IceCube’s data at the same time as KM3NeT, and the Antarctic facility has picked up no neutrinos of comparable energy in its 15 years of operations. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026

That standard reaction produces high-energy neutrons, which wear down reactor walls over time. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

Michael is there, fast-talking and high-energy, as is one of the show’s head writers, Jenny Bicks. — Kyle MacLachlan, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for high-energy

• bioenergy
• energy

Medical Definition

high-energy

adjective

: yielding a relatively large amount of energy when undergoing hydrolysis

high-energy phosphate bonds in ATP