were highly impressed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were highly impressed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a strong positive reaction or admiration towards something or someone in the past. Example: "The audience were highly impressed by the performance of the dancers at the gala."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

They were highly impressed".

The New York Times

We were highly impressed with the quality.

The New York Times - Food

Wilde and his friends were highly impressed.

The Guardian - Books

As applause and balloons filled up the arena, at least a few members of the Oldsmar viewing party were highly impressed.

The New Yorker

We recently made a few visits to Baigorri and we were highly impressed, both by the quality of the wines and the fabulous modern design of the winery.

Forbes

Many within China were highly impressed by the conduct of the movement's leadership.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

I'm highly impressed with Doncaster".

The Guardian - Sport

Steve McCormack, the Scotland coach who is a teacher at Eddie's, was highly impressed.

The Guardian - Sport

He was highly impressed by the organization Opus Dei and painted a monsignor, Giuseppe Azeglio Manzetti.

The New York Times - Arts

Pavarotti was highly impressed with Bocelli's voice, and the two became friends.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Luckily, one of their opponents, Dick Freeman of Atlanta, was highly impressed and generously showed it to a journalist.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were highly impressed" when you want to convey a strong, positive reaction or admiration felt by a group of people in the past. Ensure the context clearly indicates who or what caused the positive impression.

Common error

Avoid using "highly" with adjectives that do not logically pair with intensity. For example, saying "were highly sad" is less common and less effective than "were deeply saddened".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were highly impressed" functions as a predicate adjective, describing the state or condition of the subject (the people who experienced the impression). It indicates a strong positive reaction or admiration.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were highly impressed" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to express a strong, positive reaction or admiration. As Ludwig AI underlines, this phrase is appropriate in various contexts, particularly in news, scientific, and formal communications. While synonyms like "were very impressed" or "were greatly impressed" exist, "were highly impressed" strikes a balance between formality and impact, making it a versatile choice for conveying a significant positive impression. Pay attention to the adjective paired with 'highly', ensuring it logically aligns with the intended meaning to avoid misuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were very impressed

Replaces "highly" with "very", offering a less intense degree of admiration.

were greatly impressed

Substitutes "highly" with "greatly", indicating a significant degree of positive impact.

were extremely impressed

Uses "extremely" instead of "highly" to emphasize the intensity of the impression.

were favorably impressed

Replaces "highly" with "favorably", focusing on the positive judgment made.

were strongly affected

Shifts the focus to the impact experienced, rather than the degree of admiration.

found it admirable

Changes the structure to express admiration as a discovery or realization.

held in high regard

Indicates respect and esteem, similar to being impressed.

thought highly of

Expresses a positive opinion, implying admiration or approval.

were captivated by

Suggests being charmed or fascinated, a more emotional form of being impressed.

were won over by

Implies persuasion or conversion to a positive viewpoint, a specific kind of being impressed.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "were highly impressed" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using "were favorably impressed", "were greatly impressed", or "held in high regard" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "was highly impressed" instead of "were highly impressed"?

No, use "was highly impressed" when referring to a single individual. "Were" is the past tense plural form of "to be", and is therefore used for groups. For example, "He was highly impressed", versus "They were highly impressed".

What is the difference between "were impressed" and "were highly impressed"?

The addition of "highly" intensifies the feeling of being impressed. "Were impressed" simply indicates a positive reaction, while "were highly impressed" suggests a significant or substantial positive reaction.

Are there any synonyms for "highly" that can be used in the phrase "were highly impressed"?

Yes, you can use synonyms like "very", "greatly", "extremely", or "favorably" to replace "highly", such as "were very impressed" or "were extremely impressed".