1
as in just
as stated or indicated without the slightest difference
we will meet at exactly six o'clock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
3
as in directly
in the same words
a plagiarism suit alleging that one historian had copied large segments of another's text exactly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in strictly
without any relaxation of standards or precision
follow the rules exactly and you won't get into trouble
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in quite
to a full extent or degree
she listened to the advice, then did exactly what she wanted to anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in yes
used to express agreement
"Are you calling me a liar?" "Exactly."
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of exactly
In more recent years, economic forecasters haven't been exactly hitting it out of the park either.
—
Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 6 Jan. 2026
What exactly is functional freeze?
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
And some of it was exactly that.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026
The Eagles are exceptionally susceptible to exactly the kind of football Shanahan wants to play.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exactly
Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 6 Jan. 2026
What exactly is functional freeze?
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
And some of it was exactly that.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026
The Eagles are exceptionally susceptible to exactly the kind of football Shanahan wants to play.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exactly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exactly
Adverb
-
Residents near the park, located off David Drive in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood, said they were awakened just before midnight by gunfire and emergency sirens.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Designed to bridge the gap between automotive ease and aerospace innovation, the vehicle targets consumers looking for adventure rather than just urban commuting.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
According to researchers at Penn State’s Materials Research Institute, the characteristics of nanotubes can be precisely tuned by selecting specific atomic compositions.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The result is a workforce that is smaller, less dynamic, and aging faster, precisely when adaptation to technological change requires the opposite.—
Jane Sadowsky,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the CMPD Homicide Unit at 704-432-8477 (TIPS) and speak directly to a detective.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The committee spent $40,000 for tickets, meals, lodging and transportation for a three-day stay in Las Vegas during the event, according to campaign finance records, paying Super Bowl beer sponsor Anheuser-Busch directly.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Campos and her colleagues stress that their role is strictly observational — never to interfere.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
What's more, while binoculars and telescopes will improve the view, equipment isn't strictly required to spot the cluster in the night sky.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
9 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Everything was really incorrect for the period—shiny, sparkly, overdone—but the actual shapes and silhouettes of his clothes are quite accurate.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
10 Jan. 2026
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But the Panthers were also quite consistent in some ways.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Instead of testing a model on an endless series of questions to evaluate its ability to speak Russian, for example, one benchmark reviewed in the study measures a model’s performance on nine different tasks, like answering yes-or-no questions using information drawn from Russian-language Wikipedia.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The answer in 2025, at last, has been yes, but the way in which the Rams have deployed additional tight ends has still been a surprise.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Outfit 5 This is the outfit that can do it all—take you straight to the office, out to a classy meal, or right onto a connecting flight.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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Don’t want tender young shoots popping out when another polar vortex is right around the corner.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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His pass over the top of the defense was perfectly placed, allowing Flagg to catch it and do the rest.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Her accessories truly made the look, including a pair of crystal drop earrings, bowed stilettos, and a velvet bag, which perfectly matched Prince Harry’s velvety tux.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exactly. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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