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

There are splurge-worthy retreats that make for a highly memorable milestone celebration. —Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2025

The completely open floor plan is highly versatile and can work as a studio-style guest house, pool house, home office, or even a reading retreat. —Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025

Also called the Norway rat, these rodents are highly adaptive and excellent breeders. —Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2025

Looking ahead, Rees said the North American consumer is bifurcated, with highly affluent shoppers in great financial shape and a large portion of customers at the lower end who are super cautious about their spending and buying closer to need. —Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 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