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

• due
• full
• just
• precisely
• right
• sharp
• smack-dab
• squarely

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

Espoused values become meaningful only when enacted consistently, especially under pressure, exactly as Harvard has done in this case. —Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025

Stemless Insulated Wine Glass Tumbler $35 $29 Amazon After the bedtime battles are (finally) over, this stainless steel wine tumbler is exactly what mom needs to unwind. —Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025

That’s exactly what happened in 1900 at the International Congress of Mathematicians at Sorbonne University in Paris. —Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 14 Apr. 2025

But there’s substantial uncertainty about exactly what these deals would entail, in part because Trump’s goals remain unclear. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025

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