exactly
Americanadverb
-
in an exact manner; precisely; accurately.
-
in every respect; just.
He will do exactly what he wants.
-
quite so; that's right.
idioms
adverb
-
in an exact manner; accurately or precisely
-
in every respect; just
it is exactly what I want
-
ironic not at all; by no means
Etymology
Origin of exactly
Explanation
Something exactly right is precisely, totally, completely right. This is a word with no fuzziness or wiggle room. Isn't it nice when you know exactly the right word for something? Well, exactly is a word for when you're talking about things that fit perfectly or are unquestionably correct. Ten plus ten is exactly twenty. There are exactly fifty states. An astronomer could tell you exactly how far away the moon is. Exactly is the opposite of approximately or roughly. If you don't know for sure what you're talking about, don't use the word exactly.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We are prepared for situations exactly like this,” said Michael Ash, the CEO of Nebraska Medicine, in a statement about the hantavirus outbreak.
From Slate • May 14, 2026
We still don’t know exactly how tall he is; big men are notorious about revealing their true measurements.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Jeffrey Judge of Chesapeake Financial Planners said he works with clients who are living out exactly what the Society of Actuaries survey describes, and he argued the numbers may actually be optimistic.
From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026
The jury accepted the prosecution case that Wilson knew "exactly what was coming" and was prepared to let it happen.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
In this picture, under Theo’s hands, I look nothing like what I imagine myself looking, but somehow look exactly like myself.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
