highly

adverb

high·​ly ˈhī-lē How to pronounce highly (audio)
1
: in or to a high place, level, or rank
2
: in or to a high degree or amount
3
: with approval : favorably

Example Sentences

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 All of our picks are also highly rated by hundreds (if not thousands) of backyard pit masters. Bradley Ford, Popular Mechanics, 7 Mar. 2023 Regarding the statistical modeling, Clark also rates out very highly. Nick Hennion, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2023 Luxury brands fare particularly poorly, while more pedestrian vehicles — with a more utilitarian approach to technology — are rated more highly, explains Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ senior director of auto testing. Kyle Stock, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2023 The 57 winners are the items that came out on top, highly rated and raved about by our testers. Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 24 Feb. 2023 This year, escalations in East Jerusalem’s impoverished and densely packed communities are happening in tandem with other highly combustible crises. Miriam Berger, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2023 So something that's fresh and lively... and very familiar to everybody would be rated highly. James Brown, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2023 Lab results: Although testers gave the service good scores for the beef and seafood, the poultry was also rated highly. Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023 Rated highly for both safety and value, the Segway Ninebot ES1L boasts a sanded baseboard to increase friction and stability, as well as a spring in the shock absorber to cushion the rider from bumps for a smooth and enhanced riding experience. Saryn Chorney, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'highly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of highly was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near highly

Cite this Entry

“Highly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/highly. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

highly

adverb
high·​ly ˈhī-lē How to pronounce highly (audio)
1
: very entry 2 sense 1, extremely
highly pleased
2
: with approval
speaks highly of you

More from Merriam-Webster on highly

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