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
6

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exactly The massager also includes a foot reflexology chart so the recipient of this gift knows exactly what to do. L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2025 Yes, Baltimore’s defense is wretched, so don’t count on this being a cure-all, exactly. Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2025 But who exactly is going to use them? Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025 Jeanty, though, can be what Crosby is to the defense, which is exactly why the Raiders drafted him. The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exactly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exactly
Adverb
  • After hours, a barista will usher you into Say Less Speakeasy, a lofty bar and lounge hidden behind an unassuming bookshelf just past the café register.
    Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Other parts of the country are nearing their peak, like northeastern Washington, central Oregon, eastern Montana, most of North Dakota, just over half of Michigan, as well as a large portion of Upstate New York.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The extent to which the entire AI boom is backstopped by Nvidia’s cash isn’t easy to answer precisely, which is also one of the unsettling things about it.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Like any good oracle, Le Bon knows precisely what the future holds.
    Rumaan Alam, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The Russian embassy in Denmark told Newsweek in a statement that its navy strictly complies with maritime law and that Danish authorities had not informed Russia of any recent incidents.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • And its top models—like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner—are keeping their off-duty fashions strictly in summer mode.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • For capybara lovers who may not be quite ready to own an exotic pet, the following are places to visit them in the commonwealth.
    Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • As the days grow shorter and darker, and temperatures drop, there’s nothing quite like knowing there’s a warm, welcoming bed awaiting you at home to usher in a cozy night’s sleep, and long, languorous mornings when time allows.
    Hannah Coates, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Having the right headline can make the difference between someone reading it and scrolling right by.
    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • After Game 1, in which the Padres’ Nick Pivetta was cruising right up until allowing back-to-back home runs, manager Mike Shildt acted decisively yesterday, replacing Dylan Cease after just 69 pitches (and five strikeouts) through 3 2/3 shutout innings.
    Levi Weaver, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Boise State sacked Swann five times, and cornerback A’Marion McCoy victimized him with the first pick-six, reading a pass to the right flat perfectly to intercept it and returning it 26 yards untouched for a touchdown in the first half.
    Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Nothing engraves glass as uniformly and perfectly as UV lasers.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The Shani doll line was designed by Kitty Black Perkins and originally debuted in 1991 in response to claims that Barbie dolls lacked diversity and did not accurately represent Black people.
    Joe Otterson, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
  • For the smooth motion, the controller accurately tracked the robot’s centre of mass in the horizontal plane and maintained orientation, with only a small steady-state offset in vertical position.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exactly. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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