High-five

A celebratory gesture in which two people slap raised palms together.

Reach for it when describing brief informal congratulations when physical contact is welcome

The relay partners exchanged a high-five after checking the final time.

• playful

  air five

  the gesture is mimed without contact

  not when Air five is specifically touch-free and should not replace high-five when palms meet.

• playful

  victory salute

  the gesture follows a win or completed challenge

  not when A salute can be solitary or formal and does not require touching hands.

• everyday

  hand slap

  the physical action needs plain description

  not when Hand slap can sound aggressive and omits the shared celebratory intent.

• warm

  congratulatory tap

  brief contact conveys praise with less force

  not when A tap is gentler and may involve a shoulder or fist rather than raised palms.

• professional

  celebratory gesture

  the meaning matters more than the specific movement

  not when The phrase includes applause, signs, and embraces, so it does not identify a high-five.

• rebuff
• withdrawal
• jeer

• give a high-five

  The coach asked whether she could give the child a high-five.

• exchange a high-five

  The two mechanics exchanged a high-five when the engine started.

• virtual high-five

  A virtual high-five closed the remote workshop.

High-fives involve touch and a raised-arm movement; consent, mobility, culture, and infection-control needs can make another gesture more appropriate.

• Wiktionary, English noun sense: a slap of raised palms in greeting or celebration ↗opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.