HIGHLY Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

highly

adverb

ˈhī-lē

Definition of highly

as in extremely

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in greatly

to a large extent or degree that is highly different from your first idea for a family vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of highly Over the past several years, Beijing has accelerated research into next-generation missile systems capable of travelling at extremely high speeds while remaining highly manoeuvrable. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026 The work would have been slow going and highly readable—white wool on green backing, red thread stitched to white, yellow on red, mauve on pink, blue on purple, pink on black. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 After a highly competitive preliminary audition process, six finalists from across the country were selected to compete in the final round. — Magda Liszewska, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2026 Each piece is highly detailed and whimsical, and tells a personal story. — Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for highly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for highly

Adverb

The wildfires broke out over the weekend across the Spokane area, fueled by very strong winds combined with extremely dry conditions.

— Melissa Griffin, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
However, experts say that legal decision was extremely narrow, with some arguing it was likely misinterpreted by migrants and traffickers.

— Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of extremely

Adverb

Fleet to increase to 100 by mid-2027 That would greatly expand where the trucks can deliver.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026
Also, what would happen to the College Sports Commission, the main NIL enforcement arm that spends the bulk of its time analyzing third-party NIL deals that would be greatly reduced under this arrangement?

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026

Definition of greatly

Adverb

Veejay is a great model and sells Naheim’s and Jeffrey’s outfits, which are both really fashionable and exciting; Jeffrey’s burgundy suit is very femme-fatale Ursula.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 July 2026
Moore has earned the praise after having a very strong spring.

— Mike Kaye July 31, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026

Definition of very

Adverb

Seventeen-year-old Bria spends her days working at her family’s inn and wishing her magical Gift weren’t utterly useless.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
Conversely, the hard-right wing of the party remains utterly unanchored from this reality.

— Dain Fitzgerald, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of utterly

Adverb

Not being able to interact with computers, smartphones, and other smart devices is incredibly limiting, yet many existing assistive devices are reportedly awkward, uncomfortable, or difficult to use for long periods.

— Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 3 Aug. 2026
Pair them with the Corn Boats so your cob doesn't roll away; the incredibly handy Corn Stripper, which removes kernels from the cob in one smooth, easy motion; and the Corn Brush, which removes stubborn corn silk easily.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of incredibly

Adverb

And while enough baseball (and IL time) has happened since then to dim Mayer’s star considerably, there’s enough promise left in him to get Law riled up about the trade.

— Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Tidwell won’t be the only young player getting considerably more run over the next two months.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of considerably

Adverb

Unfortunately, decisions aren’t terribly effective today and according to Gartner 72% of executives say that bad decisions are as prevalent as good ones.

— Tracy Brower, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Given that humans at OpenAI had decided to turn off some safeguards for the test, some have argued the outcome should not have been terribly surprising.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of terribly

Adverb

But the version posed to voters this year would take much longer — with the city’s first even-year election happening in 2034.

— Tess Riski July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
The move suggests Beijing is expanding its long-range strike capability across a much larger fleet instead of limiting it to a few advanced vessels.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026