highly
Americanadverb
-
in or to a high degree; extremely.
highly amusing; highly seasoned food.
-
with high appreciation or praise; admiringly.
to speak highly of a person.
-
more than adequately; generously.
a highly paid consultant.
adverb
-
(intensifier)
highly pleased
highly disappointed
-
with great approbation or favour
we spoke highly of it
-
in a high position
placed highly in class
-
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.
"This is a highly unusual meeting in the sense that we don't really know what the Fed chair's current thinking is," said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Earlier this year, Gucci’s CEO, Francesca Bellettini, said that the brand needed to restore its appeal among Chinese shoppers, to which the brand is highly exposed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The internal discord at “60 Minutes” followed a highly successful season where its ratings increased by 9% according to Nielsen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
When demand for capital is growing, with highly rated corporate-bond issuance likely to hit a record in 2026 and more tech IPOs coming out, that demand for capital can also pressure interest rates higher.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
“I am not of this planet. I come from a highly advanced world on the other side of the universe.”
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
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.
