exactly

adverb

ex·​act·​ly ig-ˈzak-(t)lē How to pronounce exactly (audio)
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

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 Not long ago, a team from Meta’s A.I. division, co-led by a precocious computer scientist named Noam Brown, set out to attempt exactly this. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 But what exactly makes obesity a disease, and are all people who carry extra weight unhealthy? Andrea Kane, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 Almost exactly two years later, the BBC noted dozens of fake Musk videos advertising crypto scams, earning a public rebuke from the actual Musk himself. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 That’s exactly why this seasonal sale event is the best time to make these big-ticket purchases — especially when the discounts are this impressive. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 14 Mar. 2024 By splitting the room exactly in half, each kid gets their own space, and no one needs to worry about a sibling's clothing or toys getting in their way. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024 Which towns and cities, exactly, have been sacked and plundered? Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 That’s taking control of a movie, which is exactly what Glass does. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 In the vast majority of cases, researcher don't know exactly how people became infected. CBS News, 13 Mar. 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.

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of exactly was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near exactly

Cite this Entry

“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exactly. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

exactly

adverb
ex·​act·​ly ig-ˈzak-(t)lē How to pronounce exactly (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on exactly

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