exactly

adverb

ex·act·ly | \ ig-ˈzak-(t)lē

Definition of exactly

1a : 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 More Example Sentences Learn More about exactly

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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

The Tokio Hotel musician Tom Kaulitz did exactly that for Heidi Klum earlier this year, and now the couple have announced they are engaged. — Vogue, "Heidi Klum Is Engaged!," 24 Dec. 2018 For the most part, Chained succeeds in doing exactly that. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "Chained mixes virtual reality and live actors to tell a dark Christmas tale," 5 Dec. 2018 Yet Barrett also isn’t exactly the most efficient player on the roster. — Joedy Mccreary, The Seattle Times, "Quiet RJ Barrett shines in Zion’s shadow for No. 1 Duke," 19 Feb. 2019 Forty-five percent of them ended up living in their childhood bedroom—not exactly an ideal place to take a date. — Adam Bonislawski, WSJ, "The Broken-Hearted Move Back Home," 14 Feb. 2019 Dani Arps didn’t exactly plan on becoming an A-list designer. — Emma Bazilian, House Beautiful, "Dani Arps Knows How To Design Rooms That Help You Get Things Done," 11 Feb. 2019 However, Brock Collection pieces aren’t exactly inexpensive; a similar dress to the one Lili wore rings up at over $2,000. — Kara Nesvig, Teen Vogue, "Lili Reinhart Wears Brock Collection Floral Dress to W Magazine's Best Performances Party," 6 Jan. 2019 So far, developing for elementary OS is not exactly lucrative. — Scott Gilbertson, Ars Technica, "A tour of elementary OS, perhaps the Linux world’s best hope for the mainstream," 28 Dec. 2018 All-business class La Compagnie isn't exactly a budget airline. — Condé Nast Traveler, "La Compagnie Flight Deal: Business Class to the French Riviera for $1,200," 4 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exactly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.