on the nose

Idioms  

1. Exactly, precisely; especially, at the appointed time or estimated amount. For example, The busload of students arrived at the museum at ten o'clock right on the nose, or He guessed the final score on the nose. This term, like on the button, may come from boxing, where the opponent's nose is a highly desired target. [c. 1930]

---

Example Sentences

Although Sarah Paulson‘s Met Gala look was railed by Cosmopolitan as being “tone deaf,” her commentary on the 1% was very “almost on the nose, but not quite.”

From Salon • May 5, 2026

While historical comparisons and analogies can be overdone, the parallels between Washington in late November 2004 and today can feel a little too on the nose.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

Nothing’s quite as on the nose, though, as Super Bowl ads, according to renowned behavioral finance scholar Owen Lamont.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

"We made a snowman - I remember not having a carrot to put on the nose, so we ended up with an apple," she said.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

The time is twelve ten on the nose.

From "Twelve Angry Men" by Reginald Rose