adv
highly
HEYE-lee
adv
1
To a great degree; very much.
"The new phone is highly rated by reviewers."
2
With great respect or esteem.
"His colleagues speak highly of his work ethic."
How to Use Highly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVery, or with high regard — an intensifier used before adjectives and verbs like "regard" or "recommend."
Common mistake
Use "high" (not "highly") for physical height and for adverbs of degree with certain fixed verbs, e.g. "aim high," "fly high" — "highly" is for abstract intensity, like "highly skilled."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
highly recommended
highly unlikely
think highly of
Word Forms
highlier comparative, more highly comparative, highliest superlative, most highly superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “highly”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The new phone is _____ rated by reviewers.
Etymology
From Old English hēalīce, formed from high plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.