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View synonyms for exactly

exactly

[ ig-zakt-lee ]

adverb

  1. in an exact manner; precisely; accurately.
  2. in every respect; just:

    He will do exactly what he wants.

  3. quite so; that's right.


exactly

/ ɪɡˈzæktlɪ /

adverb

  1. in an exact manner; accurately or precisely
  2. in every respect; just

    it is exactly what I want

  3. not exactly ironic.
    not at all; by no means
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


sentence substitute

  1. just so! precisely!
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of exactly1

First recorded in 1525–35; exact + -ly
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. not exactly, Informal.
    1. in no way; not at all:

      It’s not exactly funny, is it?

    2. not completely so, but nearly so:

      The burgers are not exactly raw, but they need more cooking.

    3. (as an ironic response) no:

      “Is that the jacket you ordered?” “Not exactly.”

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Example Sentences

He will manage the press personally, and try to make sure he gets exactly the reporting he wants.

From Salon

Under Reeves’ plans, the funds would be consolidated in some way, although at present it is unclear exactly how.

From BBC

No one knows exactly what the role entails, and given the president-elect’s volatility, it’s doubtful Homan will last long enough to show us.

Ultimately, Trump's 2024 victory reflects exactly that kind of failure of imagination and comprehension.

From Salon

That’s almost exactly what he said to me – but beyond that, he had no sense of what that meant, or what his story was.

From BBC

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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