1
as in just
as stated or indicated without the slightest difference we will meet at exactly six o'clock

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Relevance
2
3
as in directly
in the same words a plagiarism suit alleging that one historian had copied large segments of another's text exactly

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in strictly
without any relaxation of standards or precision follow the rules exactly and you won't get into trouble

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
6

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exactly Some things were exactly as spectacular as expected (the transportive streets of Wizarding Paris) and some caught me completely by surprise (the man of the hour, Igor, in Darkmoor). Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 22 May 2025 Auditors examined only 35 of the 139 no-bid contracts over a year and a half but noted that ongoing issues with SANDAG’s record-keeping software prevented them from verifying exactly how many no-bid contracts the agency has. Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025 By then, Akasha had a sense of exactly who had come knocking. Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 22 May 2025 Officials are unsure of where exactly Cosmos 482 will land. Greta Cross, USA Today, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for exactly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exactly
Adverb
  • Every department, every person in the show, every actor is just bringing it to the very last take to the very last minute.
    EW.com, EW.com, 27 May 2025
  • The first memorial day wasn't called Memorial Day Decoration Day, May 30, 1868, was held at Arlington National Cemetery, which was just one of 74 national cemeteries established after the Civil War.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Adverb
  • His unit was almost deployed to Afghanistan in 2001, then in 2005 it was deployed to Iraq: more precisely, to Falluja, then one of the deadliest zones of the conflict.
    Dina Litovsky, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • The naming practices can frustrate efforts to track the chemicals in food, to measure how much of the stuff people are taking in, and even to figure out precisely which chemicals a scientific study evaluated, researchers said.
    David Hilzenrath, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
Adverb
  • The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 23 May 2025
  • That directly benefited Boise State, the Group of 5 conference champ in the field, as well as Arizona State, which won the Big 12.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 23 May 2025
Adverb
  • Looking up height requirements in advance can avoid disappointment for kids who may not be quite tall enough for some rides.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • This advantage is quite significant in at least two ways.
    Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Adverb
  • These jangly contradictions, presented as truths, are designed to rattle and rewire our brains; just think how easily a corrupt authoritarian leader could put them to use, and how readily a not-thinking public could fall right in line.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 20 May 2025
  • Having never brought up the $10 million settlement before, Ventura and the prosecution walked right into the defense’s trap.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 May 2025
Adverb
  • Goin starts with gold and makes it into something more precious: say, as just one example, a salad of delicate, impossibly sweet lettuces paired with slices of firm, ripe avocado, moons of blood orange, new sugar snap peas and a light, fragrant, perfectly balanced basil-buttermilk dressing.
    Sam Sifton, New York Times, 18 May 2025
  • My favorite looks, though, were always ones that perfectly encapsulated #MinnieStyle.
    Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 18 May 2025
Adverb
  • Japan’s Cabinet Office took to X earlier this month to explain that modern technology has yet to be able to accurately predict an earthquake.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
  • The new study was finally able to precisely assess the magnitude of that solar storm and date it more accurately.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 19 May 2025
Adverb
  • Garden Graduation is all about creating a whimsical experience with floral outdoor place settings, picnic-style decor with gingham throws, and charcuterie boards.
    Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2025
  • Together, these two show us what love is all about -- partnership and finding someone who will always love you.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exactly. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

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