exactly

adverb

ex·​act·​ly ig-ˈzak-(t)lē 

1

a

: in a manner or measure or to a degree or number that strictly conforms to a fact or condition

It's exactly 3 o'clock.

these two pieces are exactly the same size

b

: in every respect : altogether, entirely

That was exactly the right thing to do.

not exactly what I had in mind

2

: quite so

—used to express agreement

"This is not worth the effort." "Exactly!"

Synonyms of exactly

• just
• right
• precisely

Examples of exactly in a Sentence

The levers need to be exactly positioned.

we will meet at exactly six o'clock

Recent Examples on the Web

But Barra knows that the idea will make some consumers uneasy—and GM, more than most companies, knows exactly what happens when customers don’t feel safe. — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

Before approaching investors, management should understand exactly how much capital the business needs, what it will be used for, when it will be needed and what milestones that capital is expected to produce. — Loran Armstrong, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

There’s been buzz about integrating Pluto more fully into Paramount+ now that the two are on the same stack, so figuring out exactly how to do that — or changing course — will be a major task for Bloys during his first year in the new job. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

What exactly went wrong in Pike’s case may remain an open question due tolaws shielding information about executions from the public. — Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

exact entry 2 + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing exactly

• my sentiments exactly
• not exactly

Rhymes for exactly

• abstractly

Kids Definition

exactly

adverb

ex·​act·​ly ig-ˈzak-(t)lē 

1

a

: in an exact manner

do exactly as you're told

b

: so as to match fact or a state

at exactly three o'clock

exactly the same size

c

: in every way : altogether

that was exactly the wrong thing to do

not exactly what I had in mind

2

: quite so : just as you say

—used to express agreement