1
: in or to a high place, level, or rank
2
: in or to a high degree or amount
3
: with approval : favorably
Synonyms
- achingly
- almighty
- archly
- awful
- awfully
- badly
- beastly
- blisteringly
- bone
- colossally
- corking
- cracking
- damn
- damned
- dang
- deadly
- desperately
- eminently
- enormously
- especially
- ever
- exceedingly
- exceeding
- extra
- extremely
- fabulously
- fantastically
- far
- fiercely
- filthy
- frightfully
- full
- greatly
- heavily
- hugely
- immensely
- incredibly
- intensely
- jolly
- majorly
- mightily
- mighty
- monstrous [chiefly dialect]
- mortally
- most
- much
- particularly
- passing
- rattling
- real
- really
- right
- roaring
- roaringly
- seriously
- severely
- so
- sore
- sorely
- spanking
- specially
- stinking
- such
- super
- supremely
- surpassingly
- terribly
- that
- thumping
- too
- unco
- uncommonly
- vastly
- very
- vitally
- way
- whacking
- wicked
- wildly
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
The poll finds that a shift toward arresting people in the country illegally at places like churches and schools would be highly unpopular.
—
Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a highly genetic neurodevelopmental condition that leads to different wiring in the brain.
—Alison Escalante, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
The issue became highly politicized: President Donald Trump called for shoplifters to be shot, and lawmakers in both political parties vowed to crack down.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025
Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren are inching closer to Broadway in the highly anticipated revival of The Last Five Years, and PEOPLE has a first listen at the pair singing two of the musical's most popular tunes.
—Dave Quinn, People.com, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for highly 
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Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a highly genetic neurodevelopmental condition that leads to different wiring in the brain.
—Alison Escalante, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
The issue became highly politicized: President Donald Trump called for shoplifters to be shot, and lawmakers in both political parties vowed to crack down.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025
Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren are inching closer to Broadway in the highly anticipated revival of The Last Five Years, and PEOPLE has a first listen at the pair singing two of the musical's most popular tunes.
—Dave Quinn, People.com, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for highly
Dictionary Entries Near highly
Cite this Entry
“Highly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/highly. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
highly
adverb
high·ly
ˈhī-lē 
1
: very entry 2 sense 1, extremely
highly pleased
2
: with approval
speaks highly of you
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