precisely
Britishadverb
Explanation
The adverb precisely describes something done with complete accuracy or perfection. When you speak precisely, you pronounce each word completely and clearly — and you say exactly what you mean. Something that's done precisely is done with great care, the way you'd set the table according to your grandmother's demands, precisely following her instructions about where knives and forks should go. You can also use precisely to tell about an exact time, like meeting a friend under the big clock at precisely 12:30. On its own, precisely can substitute for yes or exactly.
Vocabulary lists containing precisely
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 20–25
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Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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Vocabulary from "Community is the 'killer app' missing from virtual reality" by Dmitri Williams
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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.
Motheram's research does not estimate precisely how sensitive merchants are to MDR.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
They also say future studies should use wearable technology to track physical activity more precisely and help determine the most effective amount of stair climbing to recommend.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Presidents don’t say that kind of thing, because presidents are precisely the people who learn each day that many things don’t work out for the best.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
“I remember him precisely making sure every picture was hung up in the exact place. And every banner was hung perfectly and every speaker was placed perfectly for your ear.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Always precisely at midnight, at the moment the grandfather clock in the foyer begins to chime, the first plates are placed on the table.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
