High-maintenance: meaning, definitions and examples
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high-maintenance
[ ˌhaɪ ˈmeɪntənəns ]
Context #1
in relationships
Requiring a lot of attention, effort, or resources to maintain; demanding or difficult to please.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- She's so high-maintenance, always needing expensive gifts and constant attention.
- My ex-boyfriend was too high-maintenance for me, always expecting me to drop everything for him.
Word origin
The term 'high-maintenance' originated in the 1970s and is often used in the context of relationships to describe someone who requires a lot of effort to keep happy or satisfied. It can refer to a person who is demanding, particular, or fussy, especially in terms of their needs and expectations. The phrase has since become popular in casual conversation and is commonly used to describe individuals who have high standards or who need a lot of attention and care.