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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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highly usually

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "highly usually" is not correct and not usable in written English.
The combination of "highly" and "usually" creates a contradiction, as "highly" suggests a strong degree while "usually" indicates a frequency that does not align with intensity. Example: "It is highly usually recommended to follow safety protocols." (This is incorrect.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Participants who score their trust in the physician highly, usually have a higher trust in the nurse as well.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The songs typically celebrate the African roots of Haitians and are often highly political, usually protesting poverty and oppression.

Today's airline pilots are responsible, highly trained, usually well-motivated by high salaries and closely monitored for health and for potential alcohol or drug use.

News & Media

The New York Times

This requires highly conductive (usually metallic) electrodes which on the other hand cause unwanted optical losses.

Floods in mountainous river basins are generally highly destructive, usually causing enormous losses of lives and property.

It is an amorphous solid consisting of micro crystallites with a graphite lattice, and they are non polar, highly porous, usually prepared in small pellets or a powder.

Humans, especially a small minority of highly motivated (usually insecure) people, are self-aggrandizing animals.

News & Media

Huffington Post

Conventional chemotherapy treatments for AML may be highly toxic, usually requiring prolonged inpatient treatment [ 6].

However, the log-likelihood function is usually highly nonlinear; its derivatives will also be highly nonlinear.

Dyes are usually highly visible, very difficult to biodegrade, and extremely difficult to eliminate in natural aquatic environments [3, 4].

Their organisation is usually highly centralised.

News & Media

The Economist
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "highly usually" in formal writing. Opt for clearer and more grammatically accepted alternatives such as "very often" or "usually" to ensure clarity and credibility.

Common error

Don't conflate the strength of an attribute with how often it occurs. While "highly" intensifies a quality, "usually" describes frequency. Combine these only when you intend to describe something that is both very strong and happens regularly, but be aware that this can often be expressed more clearly.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

79%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "highly usually" attempts to function as an adverbial modifier, aiming to express both the degree and frequency of an action or state. However, Ludwig AI indicates this combination is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "highly usually" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. Although Ludwig provides a limited number of examples where it's used, its combination of intensity and frequency creates an awkward and unclear expression. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is not correct. Instead, opt for clearer alternatives such as "very often" or simply "usually" to ensure your writing is both precise and credible. While encountered across various domains such as science, news, and encyclopedias, this phrase lacks the authoritative support needed for widespread acceptance in standard English.

FAQs

Is "highly usually" grammatically correct?

No, "highly usually" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The combination is awkward because "highly" implies a degree of intensity, while "usually" indicates frequency. It's better to use alternatives that clearly express either intensity or frequency.

What's a better way to say "highly usually"?

Instead of "highly usually", consider using phrases like "very often", "most often", or simply "usually", depending on the intended meaning.

Can I use "highly" with adverbs of frequency?

While you can use "highly" to modify some adverbs, it doesn't work well with adverbs like "usually" because they describe frequency, not intensity. For example, "highly effective" is acceptable, but "highly usually" is not.

Are there contexts where "highly usually" might be acceptable?

While there might be very specific contexts where the meaning could be understood, it's best to avoid "highly usually" in formal writing. Clearer alternatives will always improve communication.

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Source & Trust

79%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: