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 Talks with Occhiuto were cordial, but Hammer made clear that alternative sources of international staff would be highly appreciated. — ABC News, 9 July 2026 And on July 1, two SSPX bishops consecrated the four new bishops in a highly visible ceremony in Écône, Switzerland, after being warned that doing so would result in their excommunication. — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026 Traditional industrial robotics require precise, expensive programming for highly specific environments. — Anjana Susarla, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026 Founded in 2016 and led by Chief Executive Officer Cao Xudong, a former researcher at Microsoft Research Asia, the company develops autonomous driving software such as emergency assistance, combined driver assistance and highly automated driving. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for highly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for highly

Adverb

The team turned to the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, a stadium-sized synchrotron facility that produces extremely bright X-ray beams.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
Teasing out the impact of a small dose of radiation that occurs in addition to all those other exposures is extremely challenging, and the impact of extremely low exposures has not been decisively demonstrated.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026

Definition of extremely

Adverb

Both Israeli supporters, Jeffries and Clark, have benefited greatly from lavish campaign contributions from AIPAC — the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

— Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 4 July 2026
Regional customs and crops greatly influenced what the colonists ate.

— Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of greatly

Adverb

Despite consuming mass quantities of high-calorie foods during competition season, most professional competitive eaters are very lean.

— Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Music icon Taylor Swift and football star Travis Kelce, who announced their engagement in August 2025, are anticipated to tie the knot very soon.

— Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026

Definition of very

Adverb

Morgenthaler’s version—amaretto and lemon, punched up with a pour of high-proof bourbon, and smoothed out with an egg white—utterly transforms the drink.

— Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 4 July 2026
Was that the most incredible goal, in its quality and significance, of an utterly incredible World Cup?

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of utterly

Adverb

But everyone on the Spurs shot terribly from deep in the clutch.

— Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Wonderfully and terribly, everything does happen for Maddie after her adoring bear of a husband, Jake (Eric Rahill), makes a cooking video of her that goes massively viral.

— Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Definition of terribly

Adverb

Over the past decade, home prices have risen much faster than wages.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 July 2026
These conditions had much higher fatality rates in 1776 because Americans had no antibiotics, few vaccines, no understanding of germ theory, no sterile surgical techniques and limited access to hospitals, experts note.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026