exactly

adverb

ex·​act·​ly ig-ˈzak-(t)lē 

1

a

: in a manner or measure or to a degree or number that strictly conforms to a fact or condition

it's exactly 3 o'clock

these two pieces are exactly the same size

b

: in every respect : altogether, entirely

that was exactly the wrong thing to do

not exactly what I had in mind

2

: quite so

—used to express agreement

Synonyms

• due
• full
• just
• precisely
• right
• sharp
• smack-dab
• squarely

Examples of exactly in a Sentence

The levers need to be exactly positioned.

we will meet at exactly six o'clock

Recent Examples on the Web

But in a crowded sea of online marketplaces and digital brick & mortars, how exactly will The Folklore Shop break through noise? —Shelton Boyd-Griffith, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2024

How, exactly, would Lashley and the rest of The Hurt Business fit in? —Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024

That’s exactly what the Landsat-8 satellite, a joint data-gathering venture between NASA and the United States Geological Survey, saw on Monday. —Mary Gilbert, CNN, 12 Sep. 2024

At the time, Garth didn’t say much publicly about what exactly had happened. —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 12 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

exact entry 2 + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing exactly

• my sentiments exactly
• not exactly

Kids Definition

exactly

adverb

ex·​act·​ly ig-ˈzak-(t)lē 

1

a

: in an exact manner

do exactly as you're told

b

: so as to match fact or a state

at exactly three o'clock

exactly the same size

c

: in every way : altogether

that was exactly the wrong thing to do

not exactly what I had in mind

2

: quite so : just as you say

—used to express agreement