expressly
Americanadverb
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for the particular or specific purpose; specially.
I came expressly to see you.
-
in a clear, direct, or definite manner; explicitly.
I asked him expressly to stop talking.
adverb
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for an express purpose; with specific intentions
-
plainly, exactly, or unmistakably
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of expressly
A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at express, -ly
Explanation
Something done expressly is done only for a very specific reason or purpose. Growing up, your grandparents' formal living room might have been used expressly for adult parties. A politician running for office might use campaign donations expressly for buying television ads, and a middle school student might use her school laptop expressly for chatting with her friends and posting photos online. In both cases, there is one very specific intention. The earliest, fourteenth century meaning of expressly was "in detail" or "plainly." By 1600, it came to mean "for the express purpose," from the Latin expressus, "clearly presented."
Vocabulary lists containing expressly
The Importance of Being Earnest
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The Merchant of Venice
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Pre-AP Theatre
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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.
However, when the Elland Road club were punished seven years ago, regulation 127 - which expressly forbids observing an opponent within 72 hours of a game - did not exist.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
Rules of Professional Conduct expressly forbid lawyers from communicating with a judge “unless authorized to do so by law or court order,” which he was not.
From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026
As a result, the Constitution expressly pre-empts state interference with federal treaties, war making, trade and control over international affairs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026
And when she welcomed past “Top Model” contenders to “The Tyra Banks Show,” including Sullivan, she replayed footage of her assault on air despite Sullivan expressly asking her not to.
From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026
Like most of the Ivy League universities, Brown was founded by Protestant ministers as an expressly Christian college.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
