expressly

adverb

ex·​press·​ly ik-ˈspres-lē How to pronounce expressly (audio)
1
: in an express manner : explicitly
expressly rejected the proposal
2
: for the express purpose : particularly, specifically
made expressly for me

Examples of expressly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
While some agency leaders swiftly issued guidance telling their employees not to respond, others including at the Treasury Department and the Environmental Protection Agency expressly instructed their employees to respond before the deadline, reinforcing Musk's stance that a response was required. Andrea Hsu, NPR, 26 Feb. 2025 But a key reason the sanctions were so successful—winning grudging acceptance even from the likes of China, India, and Russia—was that Obama expressly deemed them a means to an end. Edward Fishman, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2025 True Link Financial offers a debit card with spending controls expressly designed for people with dementia, other cognitive deficits or addiction issues. Lindsey Choo, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025 As a result, searches for a particular term or terms can return extensions that are unrelated, inferior knockoffs, or carry out abusive tasks such as surreptitiously monetizing web searches, something Google expressly forbids. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 8 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for expressly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of expressly was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expressly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expressly. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

expressly

adverb
ex·​press·​ly ik-ˈspres-lē How to pronounce expressly (audio)
1
: so as to be absolutely clear : explicitly
was expressly forbidden to smoke
2
: for the express purpose : especially
came expressly to congratulate her

Legal Definition

expressly

adverb
ex·​press·​ly
: in an express manner : in definite and distinct terms
acceptance is expressly conditional

More from Merriam-Webster on expressly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!