on the nose

Idioms  

1. Exactly, precisely; especially, at the appointed time or estimated amount. For example, The busload of students arrived at the museum at ten o'clock right on the nose, or He guessed the final score on the nose. This term, like on the button, may come from boxing, where the opponent's nose is a highly desired target. [c. 1930]

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Example Sentences

While historical comparisons and analogies can be overdone, the parallels between Washington in late November 2004 and today can feel a little too on the nose.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

Nothing’s quite as on the nose, though, as Super Bowl ads, according to renowned behavioral finance scholar Owen Lamont.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Lee Knight’s “A Friend of Dorothy” may be a tad on the nose about the cultural and emotional impact of a lonely London widow on a closeted teenaged boy.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

Red lights are on the nose, of course, to echo Rudolph.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025

Taking a large stick, the head baboon went up to the sleeping lion and hit him firmly on the nose.

From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith