exactly

in no way; not at all: It’s not exactly funny, is it?
not completely so, but nearly so: The burgers are not exactly raw, but they need more cooking.
(as an ironic response) no: “Is that the jacket you ordered?” “Not exactly.”

Origin of exactly

First recorded in 1525–35; exact + -ly

Words nearby exactly

exacta, exact differential, exacting, exaction, exactitude, exactly, exact science, exacum, exaggerate, exaggerated, exaggeration

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use exactly in a sentence

One look at that card, and anyone who has lived through a year of the pandemic knows exactly what Hallmark is trying to say.
How Hallmark is handling pandemic Valentine’s Day|Luke Winkie|February 12, 2021|Vox
Pathi says no one outside of Bezos’s inner circle knows who that is exactly.
Can Billionaires Really Save Us from Climate Disaster?|Heather Hansman|February 12, 2021|Outside Online
Without knowing exactly who received the messages, the researchers were able to model whether the app was making a difference.
The UK’s covid app made a serious difference during the winter surge|Lindsay Muscato|February 11, 2021|MIT Technology Review
When asked by journalists, representatives from helmet companies readily admit that, but it’s not exactly a highlight of marketing materials.
The Trek WaveCel Helmet Lawsuit, Explained|Joe Lindsey|February 10, 2021|Outside Online

This month, we present some classical puzzles that do exactly that.
Zen and the Art of Puzzle Solving|Pradeep Mutalik|February 10, 2021|Quanta Magazine
Meanwhile, almost exactly 30 years after the trial, the judge left his home to board a steamboat and was never heard from again.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A grand juror in the Ferguson case is suing to be able to explain exactly what went down in the courtroom.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead|Luke O’Neil|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even though clerks in Virginia, Colorado, Utah, and other states have been doing exactly that.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In my four years of college, I know exactly one woman who has asked a man out on a date.
Random Hook-Ups or Dry Spells: Why Millennials Flunk College Dating|Ellie Schaack|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A peacemaker is also exactly how Police Commissioner William Bratton sees himself.
Cop Families Boo De Blasio at NYPD Graduation|Michael Daly|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He is simply hearing every tone, knowing exactly what effect he wishes to produce and how to do it.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
He is what the bill wishes to make for us, a regular root doctor, and will suit the place exactly.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
I don't exactly see how I could have been, considering I never made a rhyme in my life!
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 107, November 3, 1894|Various
A child, under exactly similar circumstances as far as its knowledge goes, cannot very well curse God and die.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
I understand their point of view, exactly, but I'm not here to play the social game, and I shall talk to whom it pleases me.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for exactly

exactly

/ (ɪɡˈzæktlɪ) /

adverb

in an exact manner; accurately or precisely

in every respect; justit is exactly what I want

not exactly ironic not at all; by no means

sentence substitute

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

exactly

Idioms about exactly

Origin of exactly

Words nearby exactly

Words related to exactly

How to use exactly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for exactly