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"So you think the system is outdated?"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
This was the most challenging chapter to write, precisely because these events are so well known, and my readers are likely to have the strongest expectations about how this history should be told.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
This is precisely what DEI practices set out to achieve: to recognize and reward true merit and embed fairness for all in the workplace.
—Heather Price, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Tsunamis are also not possible to precisely predict, according to the U.S. National Weather Service.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 July 2025
These are precisely the communities historically excluded from fast-growing, high-paying tech sectors.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for precisely
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.
Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
This is precisely what DEI practices set out to achieve: to recognize and reward true merit and embed fairness for all in the workplace.
—Heather Price, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Tsunamis are also not possible to precisely predict, according to the U.S. National Weather Service.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 July 2025
These are precisely the communities historically excluded from fast-growing, high-paying tech sectors.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 29 July 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 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share