strictly

Definition of strictlynext
as in carefully
without any relaxation of standards or precision strictly speaking, Columbus did not discover America—the people living there had long known about it the rules must be strictly obeyed

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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 strictly Decorating rules can be helpful guidelines, but adhering too strictly to conventional wisdom can seriously cramp your style. Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 23 June 2026 Comic books until then had been strictly boys’-own adventures, with titles like Eagle and Hotspur, that gave young boys permission to revel in the grim 20th century wars their fathers had fought in. Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 June 2026 The ecosystem of people who rely on a strictly online audience or clients for their revenues risks imploding. Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026 Laws designed to strictly control gambling or gambling-like behavior made the leap from academia hard. Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 June 2026 Data is handled strictly according to policy, legal rules and oversight, ensuring safety doesn’t come at the cost of personal rights. Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026 The Lunya brand previously had stores, but now will be strictly direct-to consumer (e-commerce) and a wholesale operation. Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 20 June 2026 The Splash Wing of the resort caters to families, while the Harmony Wing is strictly adults-only. Chelsea Adams, USA Today, 20 June 2026 South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a late March news conference the decision to commute Milk's life sentence was strictly Noem's. CBS News, 19 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strictly
Adverb
  • Thermal runaway risks must be carefully managed through rigorous testing, monitoring systems, and battery-management software.
    Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • Weather conditions are read carefully -- light, wind, temperature -- there's no rush.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 June 2026
Adverb
  • North Korea remains a close ally, rigidly committed to traditional communist tyranny.
    Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
  • Rudd’s natural air of genial tension, of neurosis without an edge, plays into his character’s rigidly disciplined but relentlessly upbeat domesticity.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
Adverb
  • Her focus on designing efficient production strategies and fostering new opportunities for the sector places her at the intersection of creative development and industrial infrastructure — precisely the combination the archipelago’s growing ambitions demand.
    Callum McLennan, Variety, 19 June 2026
  • According to stats assembled by Jay Ritter, the University of Florida professor who is the world’s leading expert on IPOs, the percentage increase precisely matches the average bump over the last several decades.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 19 June 2026
Adverb
  • That review must rigorously assess the national security threats posed by foreign government investment in one of the nation’s largest news media companies.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 June 2026
  • Importantly, supplements like colostrum are not regulated as rigorously as prescription medications by the FDA, which lead to concerns surrounding product quality, purity and consistency.
    Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

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“Strictly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strictly. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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