exactly

adverb

ig-ˈzak-(t)lē How to pronounce exactly (audio)
Definition of exactlynext
1
as in just
as stated or indicated without the slightest difference we will meet at exactly six o'clock

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in precisely
in the same manner he wants to be exactly like his father

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in directly
in the same words a plagiarism suit alleging that one historian had copied large segments of another's text exactly

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4
as in strictly
without any relaxation of standards or precision follow the rules exactly and you won't get into trouble

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5
as in quite
to a full extent or degree she listened to the advice, then did exactly what she wanted to anyway

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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 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 Change is the one constant of life on Earth; that constancy is exactly what makes change so difficult to spot. — Literary Hub, 15 July 2026 What exactly led to the deadly shooting in Maine remains unclear. — Patrick Whittle, Fortune, 15 July 2026 According to a 2015 study by researchers in Australia, there’s less than a one in a trillion chance that someone out there looks exactly like you. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026 The Democratic Party, less than four months from a pivotal midterm election, is navigating a new kind of culture war over exactly what kind of behavior — from candidates and staff — the party should tolerate. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for exactly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exactly
  1. just
  2. precisely
  3. directly
  4. strictly
  5. quite
  6. yes
  7. right
  8. perfectly
Adverb
  • Soon, those critics may be forced to accept that the Argentines are just too good and too gritty to be denied.
    — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
  • With just six minutes plus stoppage time remaining, England appeared on the verge of advancing to its first World Cup final in 60 years.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 July 2026
Definition of just
Adverb
  • And that’s a lot of energy to shed as a vehicle comes blaring back into Earth’s thick atmosphere, a process that typically annihilates objects returning from space unless they are precisely designed to survive the trip.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • In addition, exposure to a magnetic field changes the amount of that rotation, and allows the sensor to precisely measure the field’s strength.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026
Definition of precisely
Adverb
  • Sales from the thrift store are donated directly to widows, immigrants and refugees in the Sacramento area and internationally.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
  • The problem with wildfires — unlike hurricanes or earthquakes — is that humans can directly influence them.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of directly
Adverb
  • All Wimbledon tickets are strictly non-transferable to other members of the public, too—on the day of your visit, the lead applicant must be present at the gates with photo identification.
    — Fiona Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026
  • Earlier this year, the BBC’s The Other Bennet Sister—not strictly an Austen adaptation, but based on Janice Hadlow’s book of the same name, which was in turn inspired by Pride and Prejudice—became a word-of-mouth sensation.
    — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 13 July 2026
Definition of strictly
Adverb
  • The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.
    — Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026
  • SpaceX tried to launch the Starship megarocket on its 13th test flight today but couldn't quite pull it off.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of quite
Adverb
  • The answer is yes, and the computer proved it, controversially, by checking 1,936 cases in a way no human could realistically verify.
    — Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 25 June 2026
  • The strange answer to that is yes, but not really.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 June 2026
Definition of yes
Adverb
  • The surge is coming right at the peak of the summer driving season, which could cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars more compared with this time last year.
    — Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • The regular portal window normally opens right after the championship game and lasts for 15 days.
    — Tobias Bass, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of right
Adverb
  • The set up is fairly basic but perfectly presentable and for families, the functionality will be much more welcome than fancy tech, especially the small balcony/patio, dining table and kitchenette in the slightly larger rooms.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
  • So, how could a raccoon, an animal that evolved over hundreds of millions of years to adapt itself perfectly to swampy forests, find such runaway success living amid the most destructive and systematically ruthless species ever to exist?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Definition of perfectly

Browse Nearby Words

exactitude
exactly
exactness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exactly. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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