exactly

[ ig-zakt-lee ]

/ ɪgˈzækt li /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR exactly ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

in an exact manner; precisely; accurately.

in every respect; just: He will do exactly what he wants.

quite so; that's right.

Words nearby exactly

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

Origin of exactly

First recorded in 1525–35; exact + -ly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for exactly

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
There should be a retrievable record of exactly when the Airbus disappeared from radar.
Did Bad Weather Bring Down AirAsia 8501?|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Exactly why is unclear; their previous hacks seem to have just been for the Lulz (laughs in Internet-speak) and the attention.
The Attack on the Hidden Internet|Marc Rogers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And there are those who still have misgivings about exactly what “Christian rap” means.
Down With the King: Christianity Isn’t Hiding in Rap’s Closet|Stereo Williams|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Liberals distrust business and anyone with power—better to tell them exactly what to do.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She was not exactly disappointed, although it robbed the crime of one of its most dramatic elements—ingratitude.
The Old Flute-Player|Edward Marshall and Charles T. Dazey
It was so exactly like the real thing, she whispered to grandmother wiping her eyes.
Letty and the Twins|Helen Sherman Griffith
I cannot tell you exactly what she felt when she saw Nino from her lofty window, but she was certainly glad with her whole heart.
A Roman Singer|F. Marion Crawford
"Not exactly; that would be a little too risky," she replied.
The Silent Bullet|Arthur B. Reeve
This was not exactly clear to the little one, and she stood silent for a minute, gently fingering his long beard.
A Waif of the Mountains|Edward S. Ellis

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

adverb

Words related to exactly

Words nearby exactly

Origin of exactly

Examples from the Web for exactly

British Dictionary definitions for exactly

adverb

sentence substitute