highly

adverb

high·​ly ˈhī-lē 

1

: in or to a high place, level, or rank

2

: in or to a high degree or amount

3

: with approval : favorably

Synonyms

• extremely
• very
• incredibly
• terribly
• too
• so
• badly
• severely
• really
• damn
• damned
• intensely
• seriously
• heavily
• most
• far

Examples of highly in a Sentence

She is one of the most highly respected journalists in the country.

though she didn't win, she was highly satisfied with her personal results for the marathon

Recent Examples on the Web

While the Marswalker is certainly the most exciting part, the Omni S2 looks like a highly capable flagship robot vacuum. —PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025

Big Sky, Montana Swift and Kelce have previously gone on romantic retreats to Big Sky – even being linked to the highly exclusive, members-only Yellowstone Club – so the couple could pick the luxurious mountain community as a serene wedding destination. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

Ho is highly regarded among his former players, and his time at Norwegian club Brann was successful. —Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025

In its former life, as a printing plant, workers and machines dealt with highly flammable chemicals. —Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing highly

• highly strung
• highly superior autobiographical memory

Rhymes for highly

• dryly
• kiley
• shyly
• slyly
• smiley
• wily
• wryly

Kids Definition

highly

adverb

high·​ly ˈhī-lē 

1

: very entry 2 sense 1, extremely

highly pleased

2

: with approval

speaks highly of you