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
This picture helps companies like ours craft personalized, highly relevant entertainment experiences, as well as advertising with the potential to not only land in front of the right audience but to further enhance the entertainment experience by appearing in the right context on the right device.
—
Jon Kirchner, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
The Supreme Court's conservative majority has historically been highly deferential to the government's position on matters of national security, but the justices are also likely to be cautious about a precedent-setting decision that could silence a wildly popular communication tool.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2025
As recently as early December, Wilson looked like the right guy to maximize what’s left of an aging and highly compensated defense.
—Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
White House Tavern Due to the number of high-profile (and highly glamorous) celebrities that flock to Aspen each winter, the mountain town often gets billed as a ritzy, formal destination.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for highly 
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Jon Kirchner, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
The Supreme Court's conservative majority has historically been highly deferential to the government's position on matters of national security, but the justices are also likely to be cautious about a precedent-setting decision that could silence a wildly popular communication tool.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2025
As recently as early December, Wilson looked like the right guy to maximize what’s left of an aging and highly compensated defense.
—Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
White House Tavern Due to the number of high-profile (and highly glamorous) celebrities that flock to Aspen each winter, the mountain town often gets billed as a ritzy, formal destination.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2025
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 21 Jan. 2025.
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
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