squarely
Americanadverb
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in a square shape, form, or manner.
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directly; without evasion; in a straight or straightforward manner.
to face a problem squarely.
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in an honest or open manner; fairly.
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in a clear manner; unequivocally.
Our faith is based squarely on a commitment to the rights of all human beings.
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firmly; so as to come into direct contact.
The ball struck him squarely in the face.
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in the exact place that is specified; exactly.
The house sat squarely in the middle of the park.
adverb
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in a direct way; straight
he hit me squarely on the nose
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in an honest, frank, and just manner
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at right angles
Etymology
Origin of squarely
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 large majority of Ohioans are Christian, and a quarter of them identify squarely as evangelical.
From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2026
"The burden of escalation would rest squarely upon the aggressor; they and they alone would bear the full moral, political, and strategic weight of deciding whether to do so," he said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
The run of futility has lasted so long that the once unthinkable notion of benching Underwood has landed squarely on the table.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
But for now, the focus remains squarely on yields, especially with the start of third-quarter earnings season still a few weeks away.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
For I am, to face the facts squarely, considerably less intelligent than my liver.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
