precisely

adverb

pre·​cise·​ly pri-ˈsīs-lē 

1

: in a precise manner : exactly

weighing ingredients precisely

This incremental adjustment is continued until the bubble is precisely centered.

—Barry F. Kavanagh

—often used to emphasize the precision of something (such as a measurement, time, description, etc.)

The sample weighed precisely 6 ounces.

We arrived at precisely two o'clock.

She always knows precisely what to do.

He was popular precisely because he was so kind.

She always woke at eight precisely.

—P. G. Wodehouse

It is precisely to counter this sort of "negative advertising" that the garbage industry has lately been working hard to change its image.

—Elizabeth Royte

2

: quite so

—used to confirm emphatically that what has been said or suggested is exactly correct

"So you think the system is outdated?" "Precisely."

Synonyms of precisely

• just
• right
• exactly

Examples of precisely in a Sentence

I feel precisely the same way as you do.

measured the length of the board precisely

Recent Examples on the Web

Afterward, Fanning continued to play girls forced to inhabit a maturity beyond their years, including in two films by Sofia Coppola, the auteur of precisely that theme. —Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026

The Romantic Tour is a lavish spectacle that is buffed to perfection, with every light swirl and confetti drop precisely calibrated. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026

The technology allows interventional radiologists to more precisely treat patient’s medical conditions, potentially reducing their radiation exposure and the physical strain of standing over a patient for hours. —Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026

That dynamic is precisely why gold has long been viewed as an inflation hedge. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for precisely

• concisely
• nicely