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 wrong thing to do
not exactly what I had in mind
2
: quite so
—used to express agreement
Synonyms
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
Questions about exactly what a buyer would be getting
Under the bill just passed by the House, TikTok would be given up to a year to find a company, or group of investors, to acquire it.
—
Bobby Allyn, NPR, 20 Apr. 2024
Most are already prepared and ready to take away and eat at home, which is exactly what many people do in order to balance busy work and home lives.
—John Clifford, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
What is the landscape of America if not a map of exactly this type of savagery?
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
The bakery walls were painted three times to get the color exactly right.
—Khushbu Shah, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
So what exactly are the reasons for thinking that this rights issue should be determined at the state level?
—Rafael Perez, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024
But then again, making an album like The Tortured Poets Department is exactly what separates Swift from her more careful peers.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 19 Apr. 2024
But what exactly is this bureau, and who are its other members?
—EW.com, 19 Apr. 2024
In these spaces nothing can be touched, changed or moved around, as everything has to stay exactly as Scarpa imagined it.
—Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2024
Bobby Allyn, NPR, 20 Apr. 2024
Most are already prepared and ready to take away and eat at home, which is exactly what many people do in order to balance busy work and home lives.
—John Clifford, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
What is the landscape of America if not a map of exactly this type of savagery?
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
The bakery walls were painted three times to get the color exactly right.
—Khushbu Shah, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
So what exactly are the reasons for thinking that this rights issue should be determined at the state level?
—Rafael Perez, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024
But then again, making an album like The Tortured Poets Department is exactly what separates Swift from her more careful peers.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 19 Apr. 2024
But what exactly is this bureau, and who are its other members?
—EW.com, 19 Apr. 2024
In these spaces nothing can be touched, changed or moved around, as everything has to stay exactly as Scarpa imagined it.
—Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exactly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near exactly
Cite this Entry
“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exactly. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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