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"So you think the system is outdated?"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

Yes, the United States will be there, or, precisely, here at Levi’s Stadium for its knockout-phase debut Wednesday against Bosnia and Herzegovina. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 26 June 2026

But that beating-you-over-the-head quality is precisely what makes these tracks so exhilarating. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026

Why didn’t the signal line up precisely with the planet’s orbit? — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026

The primary data shows you precisely where impact sits in your specific product. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for precisely

• concisely
• nicely