How to Use high-maintenance in a Sentence

high-maintenance

adjective
  • Long hair doesn’t have to feel heavy or high-maintenance in summer with the right heat-friendly styling tricks.
    — Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 24 June 2026
  • Some are remarkably high-maintenance and can take years to be ready to harvest.
    — Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 4 Apr. 2026
  • In the world of baking, cheesecakes are on the high-maintenance spectrum.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Agolde’s Ren hit the sweet spot of being high-rise without being high-maintenance.
    — Talia Abbas, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025
  • While these questions are all valid, using hot rollers doesn't have to be a high-maintenance task—in fact, they're designed not to be.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 17 Apr. 2026
  • This won't be as high-maintenance as wallpaper, but will offer just as much visual interest.
    — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 22 Feb. 2026
  • On the other hand, wood is an expensive and high-maintenance material that doesn't stand up to harsh weather.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2026
  • This is especially true of roses, which have a bit of a reputation for being a fussy, high-maintenance plant.
    — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026
  • Initiative is what separates the high performers from the high-maintenance.
    — Joe Altieri, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
  • The classic bob length will never go out of style, and this look masters the subtle shagginess without being too over-the-top or high-maintenance.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2025
  • While silk has a reputation for being high-maintenance, Quince's washable version takes the work out of the equation.
    — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Harvin could be a high-maintenance personality.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • According to Kuthy, their high-maintenance nature has landed these delicate flowers on her no-grow list.
    — Cori Sears, The Spruce, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The effect is striking but never flashy, and expensive without appearing high-maintenance.
    — Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Another reason to skip this perennial is due to its high-maintenance nature, Hackman explains.
    — Jane Kim, The Spruce, 10 May 2026
  • No high-maintenance culinary production.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Expensive, high-maintenance, susceptible to rot and pests Nothing looks as warm and elegant as a wood window.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Lighter hair tones are notoriously high-maintenance—and come with the annoying reality check that brassiness is bound to happen.
    — Austen Tosone, Glamour, 17 Nov. 2025
  • In the Sunshine State, there is no good reason to keep polluting, high-maintenance coal generators in service.
    — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 June 2026
  • While the material may be a high-maintenance choice (fingerprints galore), the timeless material is having a resurgence thanks to the chrome trend.
    — Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 15 Jan. 2026
  • While the material may be a high-maintenance choice (fingerprints galore), the timeless material is having a resurgence thanks to the chrome trend.
    — Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 19 June 2026
  • Whether running errands, heading to the kids’ baseball games, or meeting friends for lunch, moms need summer dresses that can keep up — without feeling restrictive or high-maintenance.
    — Aashna Gheewalla, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
  • How to Care for Milkweed Fortunately, milkweed isn't very high-maintenance and is relatively easy to care for.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026
  • Their platforms are expensive, high-maintenance and increasingly risky from a security standpoint.
    — David Stout, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Hardy and Low-Maintenance Options Not every gardener has the time or energy for high-maintenance plants.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Hendrix, who portrayed Nick's high-maintenance fiancée, Meredith Blake, is currently single.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Experts say 2026 is the year homeowners begin breaking up with high-maintenance grass in favor of lower-effort alternatives.
    — Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 21 May 2026
  • Looking toward the horizon, the American backyard is undergoing a radical transformation, shedding the high-maintenance, rigid aesthetics of the past in favor of something far more soulful and secluded.
    — Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Ultimately, high-ROI landscaping is not about cluttering a yard with fragile, high-maintenance flora, but rather about creating clean lines, structural permanence, and an undeniable sense of luxury.
    — Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026
  • Instead of the fanciest, most high-maintenance option, Steve Evans, owner of Memphis Maids, recommends choosing washer-safe curtains that can withstand the heat and agitation necessary to get rid of mold and mildew.
    — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'high-maintenance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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