squarely

[ skwair-lee ]

adverb

1. in a square shape, form, or manner.
2. directly; without evasion; in a straight or straightforward manner:

   to face a problem squarely.

3. in an honest or open manner; fairly.
4. in a clear manner; unequivocally:

   Our faith is based squarely on a commitment to the rights of all human beings.

5. firmly; so as to come into direct contact:

   The ball struck him squarely in the face.

6. in the exact place that is specified; exactly:

   The house sat squarely in the middle of the park.

squarely

/ ˈskwɛəlɪ /

adverb

1. in a direct way; straight

   he hit me squarely on the nose

2. in an honest, frank, and just manner
3. at right angles

Word History and Origins

Origin of squarely¹

First recorded in 1550–60; square + -ly

Example Sentences

She need not sacrifice her whole identity to her children unless that is squarely her choice.

From Washington Post

Crisis management is squarely in our wheelhouse as a company that handles real time escalations all day every day.

From Washington Blade

Congress must immediately transfer command of the District of Columbia National Guard from the President of the United States and put it squarely under the command and control of the District of Columbia.

From Fortune

If you keep phyllo on hand, and I do, this recipe falls squarely in cook-with-what-you-have category.

From Washington Post

She climbed up and had a whispered conversation with Santa, sitting squarely at the intersection where magic and reality meet.

From Washington Post

A worn couch sitting squarely before a wood veneer wall, accented by the head of a deer.

From The Daily Beast

The winner will be the one who most squarely gets on the side of the working class.

From The Daily Beast

All of their testimony has been accepted by the court, and most of it casts blame squarely on their captain.

From The Daily Beast

But one sequence in particular has divided audiences squarely in half.

From The Daily Beast

“We tried to be evenhanded, and Poitras is squarely on the side of Snowden,” Condon says.

From The Daily Beast

Lawrence fired, but just as he did so Jerry's horse threw up his head and the ball struck him squarely between the eyes.

From Project Gutenberg

"'Scuse me," Jake said, pulling a shawl more squarely around her shoulders and straightening her up.

From Project Gutenberg

The coachman gathers up his reins and shakes squarely down into his seat; the ostlers step back.

From Project Gutenberg

He wore a gray snap-brim hat; it was set squarely on his head, precisely level.

From Project Gutenberg

And so they were caught fairly and squarely by the deluge that swept upon them with a bewildering suddenness.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• justly
• objectively