highly
Americanadverb
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in or to a high degree; extremely.
highly amusing; highly seasoned food.
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with high appreciation or praise; admiringly.
to speak highly of a person.
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more than adequately; generously.
a highly paid consultant.
adverb
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(intensifier)
highly pleased
highly disappointed
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with great approbation or favour
we spoke highly of it
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in a high position
placed highly in class
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at or for a high price or cost
Etymology
Origin of highly
First recorded before 900; Middle English heihliche, Old English hēalīce; equivalent to high + -ly
Explanation
Highly means to a high degree, extremely. A highly dangerous substance is one to stay far away from. If you think very highly of yourself, you give yourself the thumbs up every time you walk by a mirror. Highly comes from the Old English word healice for basically, "honorably," but has also come to mean “very very.” A highly respected writer is one people look up to. A highly regarded politician will probably win an election. Highly also refers to anything that is intense or extreme. A highly flammable chemical can burst into flames easily. The -ly ending is highly common for an adverb.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Previously, North Korea could produce roughly 215 kilograms of highly enriched uranium annually, according to Vertic.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
All three films celebrate highly dominant male protagonists who project raw power, aggression and emotional intensity.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
"There is a need to address environmental TFA pollution because it is widespread, highly persistent, and levels are increasing," said Professor Hossaini.
From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026
Their dating rumors were scrutinized at the time because Grande and Slater both had highly publicized splits from former spouses around the same time.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
It was housed in a highly secure but otherwise unmarked and unremarkable building in the Montmartre neighborhood of the city.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
