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"So you think the system is outdated?"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

In that sense, these events are precisely what would be expected, given the strength of the current El Niño. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026

The brothers began studying the weather more precisely, noticing patterns in forecasts and how the weather actually plays out around us. — Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Lilli—with comically large breasts, chic outfits, and heavy makeup—was precisely what Handler had been looking for. — Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026

The island’s semiconductor, communications equipment, and precision machinery industries are precisely those that will be needed to build the physical systems that can use American AI models. — Lin Chia-Lung, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for precisely

• concisely
• nicely