Word
highly
Phoneticshigh·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhaɪɫi/
UK/hˈaɪli/
Adverb of degree
Definitions
01very or extremely
B1 · Intermediate
adv. to a high degree. You use this to make an adjective stronger, especially when talking about something positive or professional.
adv. used as an intensifier meaning 'to a high degree'. It typically collocates with adjectives like 'likely', 'unlikely', 'effective', or 'unusual'.
“It is highly likely that the weather will improve by tomorrow afternoon.”
“The research team concluded that the new treatment was highly effective, though they noted several minor side effects in the final report.”
Usage
Usually placed immediately before the adjective it modifies.
Pitfall
The movie was highly good.
The movie was very good.
While 'highly' means 'very', it usually pairs with more formal or specific adjectives like 'successful' or 'intelligent' rather than simple ones like 'good' or 'big'.
Teaching tip
Encourage students to learn this as part of a pair, such as 'highly recommended' or 'highly successful'.
02with great respect
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. in a way that shows you have a very good opinion of someone or something.
adv. in a manner expressing high esteem or approval. Often used with verbs of speaking or thinking, such as 'speak' or 'think'.
“Everyone in the office speaks highly of the new manager.”
“The professor thought highly of her students' original research and encouraged them to submit it to a national journal.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrases 'speak highly of' or 'think highly of'.
Teaching tip
This sense is almost always used with 'of' to indicate the person or thing being praised.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “highly” in context.
Adjective
01. highly accurate
“The new weather forecasting system is highly accurate.”
adv + adj
02. highly competitive
“Getting into a top university is a highly competitive process.”
adv + adj
03. highly complex
“The human brain is a highly complex organ.”
adv + adj
04. highly dependent
“The local economy is highly dependent on tourism.”
adv + adj
05. highly precise
06. highly sensitive
07. highly valued
08. highly unusual
09. highly accessible
10. highly constrain
11. highly correlate
12. highly educate
Confusables
High describes physical elevation or a point on a scale, while highly functions as an intensifier meaning 'to a great degree'.
RememberHigh is for height; highly is for how much.
Etymology
From Middle English hiȝly, heȝly, heyȝliche, from Old English hēalīce (“highly”), equivalent to high + -ly. Cognate with Dutch hoogelijk (“highly”), German höchlich (“highly”), Danish højlig (“highly”), Swedish högligen (“highly”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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