exquisitely
Americanadverb
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excellently, especially in a way that shows extreme refinement or elegance.
The scenic design is gorgeous, and the show is exquisitely lit.
Under the tree stands a group of exquisitely sculpted Buddhas.
-
to a degree that is exceptional or extraordinary.
String theory suggests that the universe is created by the vibrations of exquisitely tiny superstrings in ten spatial dimensions.
-
to an extreme degree; intensely.
Until that point, I had not heard the details of my students’ exquisitely personal stories of the experience of war.
The ocean swim was truly invigorating, and I felt exquisitely alive.
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showing keen sensitivity.
The blood-brain barrier is a network that exquisitely controls the movement of cells and molecules between the blood and the fluid that surrounds the brain.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exquisitely
Explanation
When something is done exquisitely, it's done with beautiful, perfect detail, like a masterfully painted portrait or a beautifully composed symphony. To do something exquisitely means to do it with exceptional beauty and precision. Think of a delicate piece of jewelry crafted with intricate designs, or a dish prepared by a top chef with the finest ingredients. The word comes from the Latin exquisitus, meaning "carefully sought out or chosen." Exquisitely crafted things stand out for their detailed perfection and elegance, such as a finely written poem, a gorgeously decorated room, or a flawlessly executed dance performance.
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 show also features numerous loans from private collectors and institutions, most notably a rare figural lira da braccio from Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum and an exquisitely decorated hurdy-gurdy from London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
"You're able to do two things that are normally not compatible with one another: Use entanglement to build an exquisitely sensitive sensor but also have robustness to arbitrarily large amounts of noise," Clerk said.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 6, 2026
“How she could go between the most … formal, exquisitely beautiful work to almost street photography.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
And Kate Bush’s immortal 1978 single, with its swooping, operatic drama, interpretive dance–filled video and ghostly narrator only strengthened the book’s rep as a tale of exquisitely tortured love.
From Salon ● Feb. 21, 2026
Jerry and his team would have to be exquisitely careful with these monkeys.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
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.
