highly

adverb

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

Synonyms of highly

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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
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.
Living with endometriosis means becoming an expert on highly specialized ingredients and constantly cross-checking product labels. — Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026 Its work-in-progress was also one of five titles at the 2025 prestigious and highly selective Annecy Animation Showcase at the Cannes Festival’s Marché du Film. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 The project will focus on developing a scalable process for producing highly uniform thorium-232 fuel particles for use in TRISO, or Tri-Structural Isotropic, nuclear fuel. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026 That shows that stocks in the broader index are now moving independently of one another, at a highly unusual level of dispersion. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for highly

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

Phrases Containing highly

Rhymes for highly

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Browse Nearby Words

high/low profile
highly
highly strung
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Cite this Entry

“Highly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/highly. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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