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 And that was exactly what Davidovich Fokina felt about his Monte Carlo Masters win over Britain’s Jack Draper on Thursday. Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 To take something so tragic and turn it into something positive, which is exactly what Aaron would want. Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Lada-atomization is exactly what happened when a Russian regiment attacked a few miles south of Pokrovsk on March 19. David Axe, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 And how exactly does that work, with Highsmith with the longer Heat tenure, but Mitchell with more games of NBA experience? Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exactly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exactly
Adverb
  • The Heat has now lost 10 straight games for just the eighth time in the franchise’s 37 seasons.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Sparks-Haught learned that conceiving would be difficult at just 26 years old.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • Finding a quality corset that fits precisely can take some trial and error.
    Jolene Edgar, Allure, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Scientists can map entire brains at the cellular level, track neural activity during behavior, and precisely switch neurons on or off.
    Adam Kepecs, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • Small business owners like Lin say that even if their services aren’t impacted by tariffs recently announced by the Trump administration directly, consumers’ anxiety about the economy could hit their bottom line.
    Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Federal law bars the president from directly or indirectly ordering the IRS to conduct or terminate an audit or investigation.
    Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • So there’s a mutual agreement between the two, or mutual benefits, that are quite tolerable—or even pleasurable.
    Mark Holgate, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The Chicago Cubs have done a lot to shape their team into a postseason contender over the last few months, and, to this point, it's paid off quite well.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • Abbot finds Robby standing in the same spot, right by the edge.
    Adam B. Vary, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • But equipment workouts aren’t the most accessible to those of us who are on the go, and summer travel is right around the corner, so Pvolve’s latest launch couldn’t come at a better time.
    Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 10 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • The matzo balls that come straight from the box are fluffy, and perfectly salty, and just easier to make.
    Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The stamp tips come in different sizes, shapes, and heights to recreate the perfectly imperfect asymmetry of natural freckles.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • Alex brings classroom concepts into a real business setting, helping her supervisors build a valuation model that accurately estimates the startup’s net worth.
    Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Liberal children tended to recall more accurately the ratio of desirable and undesirable traits in the characters of the story; their memories possessed greater fidelity to the story as it was originally told.
    Matt Richtel, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • This is the first time a full season of your show will be dropped all at once.
    Michael Ausiello, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
  • But at the mention of Wade, the mood in the room immediately shifted; all around me, eyebrows raised.
    D. Watkins, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exactly. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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