HIGHLY Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

highly

adverb

ˈhī-lē

Definition of highly

as in extremely

to a great degree though she didn't win, she was highly satisfied with her personal results for the marathon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in greatly

to a large extent or degree that is highly different from your first idea for a family vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of highly Last season’s experienced and highly touted offensive line wilted against the nation’s best. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, Will Smith, Matvei Michkov and Ryan Leonard were all very highly regarded going into the draft and remain so a few years later, albeit to varying degrees. — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Set to exec produce, Query sold his original spec to Netflix in a highly competitive situation in December 2025. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 Their father was highly critical and verbally, sometimes physically, abusive, and their mother didn’t defend them. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for highly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for highly

Adverb

This pre-seasoned, ¼ inch thick steel heat extremely evenly with minimal disparity between the center and edges.

— Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Search for jet quenching Previous experiments suggest that a millionth of a second after the Big Bang, even as temperatures remained extremely high, matter did not behave like gas but instead like liquid with very low viscosity.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of extremely

Adverb

But the way those retailers have reported those refunds and incorporated them into their earnings has differed greatly, leading to confusion about how to read the strength of their results and their future outlooks.

— Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
The new calendar was one part of a proposal from the owners that sought to greatly revise and limit baseball transactions.

— Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of greatly

Adverb

The Fed chairman, who took office in May for a four-year term, has so far shared very little commentary on the state of the economy or policy outlook.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
With Adults, being funny is what matters most, and in that regard, this is a very promising premiere.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of very

Adverb

This powerful dream sequence shows Sarah and the rest of Los Angeles utterly annihilated by a nuclear blast.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Fast-forward to today, and the brand’s shampoos, conditioners, hair oils, hair masks, and more are flying off the shelf—while the bond-repairing-product business is utterly booming.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of utterly

Adverb

So what had begun as a high school problem-solving project became something considerably more ambitious.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 25 Aug. 2026
My analysis, built on the County’s framework and precedent, puts the exposure at a considerably higher level.

— Joseph M. Singer, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of considerably

Adverb

Chaco Canyon was the cultural and economic heart of a roughly 60,000-square-kilometer area that, up until the mid-1100s CE, was a much greener American Southwest.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Still, with the right conditions, getting close to beds without bumping deer becomes much easier.

— Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026