precisely
adverb
pre·cise·ly
pri-ˈsīs-lē 
1
: in a precise manner : exactly
weighing ingredients precisely
This incremental adjustment is continued until the bubble is precisely centered.—
Barry F. Kavanagh
—often used to emphasize the precision of something (such as a measurement, time, description, etc.)Barry F. KavanaghThe sample weighed precisely 6 ounces.
We arrived at precisely two o'clock.
She always knows precisely what to do.
He was popular precisely because he was so kind.
She always woke at eight precisely.—P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. WodehouseIt is precisely to counter this sort of "negative advertising" that the garbage industry has lately been working hard to change its image.—Elizabeth Royte
Elizabeth Royte2
: quite so
—used to confirm emphatically that what has been said or suggested is exactly correct
"So you think the system is outdated?" "Precisely."
Examples of precisely in a Sentence
I feel precisely the same way as you do.
measured the length of the board precisely
Recent Examples on the Web
But what’s been long hidden is its supermassive black hole that likely lies at its center, although its exact location is still not precisely known.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Such flexibility was precisely what was lacking in the consciousness of former President Joe Biden and his foreign policy advisers, who clung to the old unipolar days when the American president could hold sway throughout the world with no one to say him nay.
—Robert W. Merry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Sherwood fits precisely what Paton and Payton like to pursue in free agency: a young, ascending player looking for a second contract.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2025
Early negotiations in 2022 broke down precisely over that point.
—Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precisely
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Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Such flexibility was precisely what was lacking in the consciousness of former President Joe Biden and his foreign policy advisers, who clung to the old unipolar days when the American president could hold sway throughout the world with no one to say him nay.
—Robert W. Merry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Sherwood fits precisely what Paton and Payton like to pursue in free agency: a young, ascending player looking for a second contract.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2025
Early negotiations in 2022 broke down precisely over that point.
—Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precisely
Cite this Entry
“Precisely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precisely. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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