precisely

adverb

pre·​cise·​ly pri-ˈsīs-lē 

1

: in a precise manner : exactly

weighing ingredients precisely

This incremental adjustment is continued until the bubble is precisely centered.

—Barry F. Kavanagh

—often used to emphasize the precision of something (such as a measurement, time, description, etc.)

The sample weighed precisely 6 ounces.

We arrived at precisely two o'clock.

She always knows precisely what to do.

He was popular precisely because he was so kind.

She always woke at eight precisely.

—P. G. Wodehouse

It is precisely to counter this sort of "negative advertising" that the garbage industry has lately been working hard to change its image.

—Elizabeth Royte

2

: quite so

—used to confirm emphatically that what has been said or suggested is exactly correct

"So you think the system is outdated?" "Precisely."

Synonyms

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

Examples of precisely in a Sentence

I feel precisely the same way as you do.

measured the length of the board precisely

Recent Examples on the Web

However, the way in which his identity has evolved within the last five years speaks precisely to what Andrew Sullivan touched on. —Tony Peters, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024

Velocity Micro showcases its impeccable cable management behind this panel, with everything precisely routed and tied off. —PCMAG, 6 Dec. 2024

And thanks to the photos and videos shared in the study, scientists have deciphered precisely how orcas are able to take down these whale sharks. —Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024

That is precisely what reality tells us, and the record in this case contains ample citation to scientific proof of it. —The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1