perfectly
Americanadverb
-
in a perfect manner or to a perfect degree.
to sing an aria perfectly.
- Synonyms:
- ideally, superbly, flawlessly
-
completely; fully; adequately.
This will suit my purpose perfectly.
He’s perfectly happy to help out.
She’s perfectly capable of making her own decision.
adverb
-
completely, utterly, or absolutely
-
in a perfect way; extremely well
Etymology
Origin of perfectly
First recorded in 1275–1325; perfect + -ly; replacing Middle English parfitly, derivative of parfit ( perfect )
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.
He somehow blended perfectly with her Chinese family, all eating latkes together and mixing Yiddish and Shanghainese words.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Using the new tools, the team obtained an updated melting temperature that matched computer simulations almost perfectly, resolving a disagreement that had persisted for roughly two decades.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
Media law expert Mark Stephens told AFP it was "perfectly legitimate" for the media to investigate the allegations.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
It’s perfectly reasonable for Claude to underestimate its own abilities and assume it can’t do certain things—because until recently, it couldn’t.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
The small body under the blanket lay perfectly still.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
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.
