squarely

adverb square·ly \ ˈskwer-lē \

|Updated on: 6 Jun 2018

Examples: squarely in a Sentence

Definition of squarely

1 : in a straightforward or honest manner

we must squarely face the issue

2 a : exactly, precisely

squarely in the middle

b : so as to make solid contact

hit the ball squarely

feet squarely planted

3 : in a square form or manner : so as to be square

a squarely cut dress

4 : in a plain or unequivocal manner

the responsibility lies squarely with us

align ourselves squarely with our allies

See squarely defined for English-language learners

See squarely defined for kids

Examples of squarely in a Sentence

We must face these problems squarely.
It's time to deal squarely with the facts.
literature that is squarely in the American tradition
Their marketing campaign is aimed squarely at adolescents.
The dart hit the board squarely in the middle.
Look me squarely in the eye and tell me you're not lying.
He hit the ball squarely.
Her feet were squarely planted.

Recent Examples of squarely from the Web

The new venture was aimed squarely at the rapidly expanding economic engine of China, which was creating enterprises across Asia and Africa.

— marc fisher, Washington Post, "Behind Erik Prince’s China venture," 4 May 2018
Westworld Is for White People HBO The introduction of a park based on the British Raj is a reminder that the show’s fantasy world is aimed squarely at rich white scumbags.

— scott meslow, GQ, "Westworld Is for White People," 7 May 2018
Features for businesses first Several features in Windows 10 Professional are aimed squarely at the business market.

— mark hachman, PCWorld, "Who needs Windows 10 Pro: 5 reasons to upgrade," 29 Apr. 2018
Anyone familiar with the original Death and Co. in Manhattan might wonder how its look and vibe—a jet-black, windowless box aimed squarely at East Village night owls—can translate into 24/7 operations inside a hotel.

— mark ellwood, Condé Nast Traveler, "Death and Co.'s Arrival May Turn Denver Into a Cocktail City," 27 Apr. 2018
Amazon is expanding its home product line with a new device aimed squarely at children.

— don reisinger, Fortune, "Amazon’s New Echo Dot Is All About Kids, While Still Giving Parents Control," 25 Apr. 2018
China's aggressive response to Trump's tariffs is aimed squarely at products produced in the U.S. heartland, a region that helped send him to the White House.

— new york times, cleveland.com, "Trump proposes rejoining Trans-Pacific Partnership to shield farmers from trade war," 12 Apr. 2018
The Federal Aviation Administration banned flights that used restraints from which passengers could not free themselves quickly, a prohibition aimed squarely at FlyNYON, The Times reported.

— Fox News, "Pilots warned of safety concerns before helicopter crashed in NYC's East River and killed 5, report says," 7 Apr. 2018
And Baulk put the blame squarely on the government for not protecting journalists or providing them access to report on human rights issues.

— alice driver, Longreads, "No Journalist Should Have to Know How to Survive in Prison," 3 May 2018

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