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"So you think the system is outdated?"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
Yet Bar’s professional record is precisely what makes the repetition of the word refuse in his affidavit a model for other state officials—in Israel, the United States, and other democracies under threat.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
What, precisely, turns one random guy into a saint?
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
From a terminal far out of harm’s way, drone pilots could hover in the sky for hours, soaking up surveillance information, building a case for precisely whom to bomb and when to do it.
—Colin Jones, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
Aromas of Gala apple, lemon pith, and white citrus blossoms draw you in for flavors of Anjou pear, lemon zest, and brown baking spices with precisely balanced acidity in the midpalate.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2025
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Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
What, precisely, turns one random guy into a saint?
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
From a terminal far out of harm’s way, drone pilots could hover in the sky for hours, soaking up surveillance information, building a case for precisely whom to bomb and when to do it.
—Colin Jones, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
Aromas of Gala apple, lemon pith, and white citrus blossoms draw you in for flavors of Anjou pear, lemon zest, and brown baking spices with precisely balanced acidity in the midpalate.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 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 29 Apr. 2025.
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