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Synonyms

exactly

American  
[ig-zakt-lee] / ɪgˈzækt li /

adverb

  1. in an exact manner; precisely; accurately.

  2. in every respect; just.

    He will do exactly what he wants.

  3. quite so; that's right.

idioms

  1. not exactly,

    1. in no way; not at all.

      It’s not exactly funny, is it?

    2. not completely so, but nearly so.

      The burgers are not exactly raw, but they need more cooking.

    3. (as an ironic response) no.

      “Is that the jacket you ordered?” “Not exactly.”
exactly British  
/ ɪɡˈzæktlɪ /

adverb

  1. in an exact manner; accurately or precisely

  2. in every respect; just

    it is exactly what I want

  3. ironic not at all; by no means

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

  1. just so! precisely!

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of exactly

First recorded in 1525–35; exact + -ly

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.

"The ideal scenario is that you know exactly where it is," Campbell said.

From BBC

“I think he did exactly the right thing.”

From Barron's

“And that is exactly the kind of expression in which Ms. Chiles seeks to engage.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The directors don’t exactly overlook the miserable parts of Turner’s life either, devoting the first half of “Tina” to her early career and raucous blaze she created as the dancing front of the traveling revue.

From Salon

Still, traditional underwriting criteria isn’t exactly a good predictor of whether a college or graduate student will be able to repay their loans.

From MarketWatch

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.