Synonyms of exactly

exactly

adverb

ig-ˈzak-(t)lē 

1

as in just

as stated or indicated without the slightest difference

we will meet at exactly six o'clock

Synonyms & Similar Words

• just
• right
• precisely
• sharp
• squarely
• due
• on the nose
• full
• smack-dab
• on the button

2

as in precisely

in the same manner

he wants to be exactly like his father

Synonyms & Similar Words

• just
• precisely
• perfectly
• even
• to a T
• expressly
• uniformly
• identically
• similarly
• alike
• faultlessly
• likewise

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• somewhat
• slightly
• vaguely
• differently
• variably

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

• directly
• accurately
• precisely
• verbatim
• word for word
• identically
• literally
• ad verbum

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• essentially
• basically
• virtually
• inexactly
• freely
• loosely
• carelessly
• inaccurately
• imprecisely

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

• strictly
• carefully
• precisely
• rigidly
• rigorously
• scrupulously
• conscientiously
• meticulously

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loosely
• imprecisely
• inexactly

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

• quite
• perfectly
• all
• fully
• totally
• completely
• even
• utterly
• well
• wholly
• entirely
• thoroughly
• fast
• absolutely
• entire
• out
• wide
• enough
• basically
• all the way
• for fair
• at length
• all over
• dead
• to pieces
• down to the ground
• altogether
• to bits
• in whole
• full
• flat
• soundly
• clean
• heartily
• all of
• through and through
• down the line
• to the hilt
• generally
• to the max
• mostly
• substantially
• categorically
• largely
• plumb
• plain
• mainly
• primarily
• downright
• cold
• principally
• unqualifiedly
• greatly
• predominantly
• chiefly
• more or less
• overall
• predominately
• by and large
• hands down
• stone
• generously
• abundantly
• stone-cold
• copiously

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• partly
• partially
• just
• halfway
• half
• hardly
• slightly
• barely
• scarcely
• approximately
• superficially
• roughly
• incompletely
• minimally
• somewhat
• marginally
• part
• kind of

6

as in yes

used to express agreement

"Are you calling me a liar?" "Exactly."

Synonyms & Similar Words

• yes
• OK
• alright
• yeah
• positively
• certainly
• absolutely
• all right
• undoubtedly
• yep
• yo
• unquestionably
• aye
• assuredly
• indeed
• indisputably
• okeydoke
• yea

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• no
• scarcely
• nay
• no way

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of exactly

The hottest topics waffle between Nick Sirianni’s job security and the treatment of Jalen Hurts’ blood clots, none exactly harbingers of good news. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026

Advertisement Here’s exactly how to handle this maddening situation—including when and how best to speak up. — Angela Haupt, Time, 21 Oct. 2026

So what exactly went wrong with a program originally designed to help children escape struggling public schools? — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

That's exactly what a famous math formula called the Drake Equation tries to answer. — Hannah Chinn, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026