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
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
In theory, all that real-world data is exactly what Tesla needs to train its cars to operate without any human assistance, a goal that’s core to Musk's vision for the future of Tesla.
—
Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Democratic senators including Tammy Baldwin and Elizabeth Warren have sent letters demanding to know exactly what access DOGE has.
—Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025
Advertisement In the months that followed, the investigation into what exactly happened, and how live ammunition had ended up on a movie set, became an international sensation, as did the resulting lawsuits and criminal trials.
—Rachel Brodsky, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
They’re all presented exactly as they were written; nary a lyrical word, it is said, has been changed.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2025
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Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Democratic senators including Tammy Baldwin and Elizabeth Warren have sent letters demanding to know exactly what access DOGE has.
—Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025
Advertisement In the months that followed, the investigation into what exactly happened, and how live ammunition had ended up on a movie set, became an international sensation, as did the resulting lawsuits and criminal trials.
—Rachel Brodsky, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
They’re all presented exactly as they were written; nary a lyrical word, it is said, has been changed.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exactly
Cite this Entry
“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exactly. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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