exactly
Americanadverb
-
in an exact manner; precisely; accurately.
-
in every respect; just.
He will do exactly what he wants.
-
quite so; that's right.
idioms
adverb
-
in an exact manner; accurately or precisely
-
in every respect; just
it is exactly what I want
-
ironic not at all; by no means
Etymology
Origin of exactly
Explanation
Something exactly right is precisely, totally, completely right. This is a word with no fuzziness or wiggle room. Isn't it nice when you know exactly the right word for something? Well, exactly is a word for when you're talking about things that fit perfectly or are unquestionably correct. Ten plus ten is exactly twenty. There are exactly fifty states. An astronomer could tell you exactly how far away the moon is. Exactly is the opposite of approximately or roughly. If you don't know for sure what you're talking about, don't use the word exactly.
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.
“This request is not an attempt to avoid our obligations. It is exactly the opposite,” she wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
The pressure on the PC market isn’t exactly a shock given that surging memory prices have been a nagging issue all year, and one that was broadly expected to slow demand for laptops.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
“People know exactly where I’m at,” he recently told Spectrum News.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Having taken the last six Australian wickets for 99 runs in the morning despite Josh Inglis' second Test century, the Proteas began their second innings facing a deficit of exactly 100.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
I thrilled at the thought of this and wanted to ask him for more details, to know exactly how far he thought I could go.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
