Be a tall order

usgb
phrase

A task or requirement that is difficult to fulfill or achieve.

Completing this project within a week would be a tall order.
Visual representation of "be a tall order" - A task or requirement that is difficult to fulfill or achieve.

Often appears as...

  • might be a tall order
  • that's a tall order

Usage tips

Idiomatic

Definition 1 of 1
Visual representation of "be a tall order"
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Metaphorically High

Imagine the 'order' as something physically high, indicating the difficulty in reaching or achieving it.

Illustration for Metaphorically High
Winning the championship against professional teams would be a tall order for our amateur club.
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Not Impossible

The phrase suggests a daunting task but doesn't imply that it's impossible, just very challenging.

Illustration for Not Impossible
Landing a spacecraft on Mars is a tall order, but with enough research, it's feasible.
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Game Context

Often used in sports or games to express that winning or succeeding against the odds is tough.

Illustration for Game Context
Coming back from a 3-0 deficit in the finals would be a tall order.
Visual representation of the word "Be a tall order"

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