perfectly

adverb

per·​fect·​ly ˈpər-fik(t)-lē How to pronounce perfectly (audio)
1
: in a perfect manner
2
: to a complete or adequate extent : quite
was perfectly happy until now

Examples of perfectly in a Sentence

The steak was perfectly cooked. you did that handspring perfectly on your first try
Recent Examples on the Web There’s something a little dismal about the fact that the mid-century dream of the future might, if everything goes perfectly according to plan, come to fruition in the form of saving half an hour en route to J.F.K. Then again, that isn’t too far from the initial vision. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024 The contrast of the high-drama string-laden embellishments juxtaposed against the drill snares make for a perfectly high-octane listening experience. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 15 Apr. 2024 Ominously for the chasing pack though, that one occasion just so happened to be at Augusta National two years ago, as the Texan perfectly preserved his three-stroke final round advantage to ease to his first major crown. Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024 But the collapse came on the 15th hole, a 550-yard par-5 that perfectly suits DeChambeau’s distance. Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2024 Isaac Newton intended his laws of motion to describe physics, not elections, but America’s political system has almost perfectly illustrated his Third Law — the one about every action being accompanied by an equal and opposite reaction. David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024 They’re also perfectly adapted for life in the harsh Australian outback. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024 The year's undisputed red-carpet queen, Zendaya, continues to serve look after look on the press tour for her new tennis drama, Challengers, and her latest hairstyle perfectly combines preppy athleticism with classic femininity. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2024 How convenient that their goals are now perfectly in sync: to treat democracy itself as the threat that must be controlled and destroyed. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perfectly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of perfectly was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near perfectly

Cite this Entry

“Perfectly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perfectly. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

perfectly

adverb
per·​fect·​ly ˈpər-fik-(t)lē How to pronounce perfectly (audio)
1
: in a perfect manner
understand perfectly
2
: quite sense 1, altogether
I was perfectly willing

More from Merriam-Webster on perfectly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!