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"So you think the system is outdated?"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

This is precisely what these premium cards offer. —Ryley Amond, CNBC, 26 Dec. 2025

Researchers in Japan have shown that a common oxide material, when engineered precisely enough, can exhibit a rare magnetic state that combines the best traits of two opposing worlds. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Dec. 2025

This truth is easy to forget precisely because modern growth has been so successful. —Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025

Later, as natural hair communities expanded the system to describe coily textures more precisely, the category sub-type C emerged. —Hendra Jacobs, Allure, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for precisely

• concisely
• nicely