exactly
adverb
ex·act·ly
ig-ˈzak-(t)lē 
1
a
: in a manner or measure or to a degree or number that strictly conforms to a fact or condition
it's exactly 3 o'clock
these two pieces are exactly the same size
b
: in every respect : altogether, entirely
that was exactly the wrong thing to do
not exactly what I had in mind
2
: quite so
—used to express agreement
Examples of exactly in a Sentence
The levers need to be exactly positioned.
we will meet at exactly six o'clock
Recent Examples on the Web
Espoused values become meaningful only when enacted consistently, especially under pressure, exactly as Harvard has done in this case.
—
Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Stemless Insulated Wine Glass Tumbler $35 $29 Amazon After the bedtime battles are (finally) over, this stainless steel wine tumbler is exactly what mom needs to unwind.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
That’s exactly what happened in 1900 at the International Congress of Mathematicians at Sorbonne University in Paris.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 14 Apr. 2025
But there’s substantial uncertainty about exactly what these deals would entail, in part because Trump’s goals remain unclear.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exactly
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.
Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Stemless Insulated Wine Glass Tumbler $35 $29 Amazon After the bedtime battles are (finally) over, this stainless steel wine tumbler is exactly what mom needs to unwind.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
That’s exactly what happened in 1900 at the International Congress of Mathematicians at Sorbonne University in Paris.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 14 Apr. 2025
But there’s substantial uncertainty about exactly what these deals would entail, in part because Trump’s goals remain unclear.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exactly
Cite this Entry
“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exactly. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exactly
adverb
ex·act·ly
ig-ˈzak-(t)lē
1
a
: in an exact manner
do exactly as you're told
b
: so as to match fact or a state
at exactly three o'clock
exactly the same size
c
: in every way : altogether
that was exactly the wrong thing to do
not exactly what I had in mind
2
: quite so : just as you say
—used to express agreement
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share