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
My first, and yes, highly important, finding was that the bag is indeed beautiful (its appearance alone makes the Amtrak Northeast Regional feel a bit more Orient Express).
—
Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2024
In my experience, Argentina offers highly competitive labor costs compared to other nearshoring destinations.
—Daniel Pena, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
This rehabilitation program is highly individualized and can include audiologists, speech-language pathologists, educators of the deaf, and your friends and family.
—Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 11 Dec. 2024
In the highly divisive political climate of the national election, workplaces were bound to be impacted by employees who couldn't help but bring their politics to the office.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for highly 
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.
Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2024
In my experience, Argentina offers highly competitive labor costs compared to other nearshoring destinations.
—Daniel Pena, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
This rehabilitation program is highly individualized and can include audiologists, speech-language pathologists, educators of the deaf, and your friends and family.
—Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 11 Dec. 2024
In the highly divisive political climate of the national election, workplaces were bound to be impacted by employees who couldn't help but bring their politics to the office.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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 22 Dec. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share