Highly

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Highly

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

adverb

Pronunciation

HY-lee  /ˈhaɪli/

Definition

To a great degree; very much; extremely; in a high degree of quality or quantity. Also used to express strong approval or positive assessment: to think highly of someone.

Plain meaning

Highly means to a great degree or very much. Highly recommended means very strongly recommended. Highly intelligent means extremely intelligent. To think highly of someone means to have a very high opinion of them. It is one of the most common intensifying adverbs in formal and professional English.

Register

Neutral to formal. Highly is appropriate across all registers from formal academic writing to everyday speech. In professional and formal contexts it is preferred over very as a more measured intensifier. The opinion expressions — think highly of, speak highly of — are slightly more formal.