1
as in just
as stated or indicated without the slightest difference
we will meet at exactly six o'clock
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in quite
to a full extent or degree
she listened to the advice, then did exactly what she wanted to anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in yes
used to express agreement
"Are you calling me a liar?" "Exactly."
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
So what exactly is double jeopardy?
—
Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
Sometimes children stray from the path, however, and that’s exactly what Wolf and Schneider have done to build the Patriots and Seahawks’ rosters in Super Bowl LX.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
These are clusters of four to five fresh, naked ginger pieces, so they don’t get dried out, and are usually exactly how much a recipe calls for, between 1 and 2 tablespoons.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Feb. 2026
That’s exactly what’s missing from a currently flat Wolves team that acquired Dosunmu before the trade deadline this week.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exactly
Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
Sometimes children stray from the path, however, and that’s exactly what Wolf and Schneider have done to build the Patriots and Seahawks’ rosters in Super Bowl LX.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
These are clusters of four to five fresh, naked ginger pieces, so they don’t get dried out, and are usually exactly how much a recipe calls for, between 1 and 2 tablespoons.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Feb. 2026
That’s exactly what’s missing from a currently flat Wolves team that acquired Dosunmu before the trade deadline this week.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exactly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exactly
Adverb
-
The more massive the original star is, the shorter the post-AGB lifetime, down to a minimum of just over 1000 years.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The family was seeking safety in the town of Bohodukhiv, some 60 kilometers (38 miles) west of Kharkiv, having fled their home further east just days ago, Ukrainian police said in a statement posted on Telegram.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
That rejection of redemption is precisely what makes these stories indispensable now.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But that’s precisely the point.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
All four returning astronauts went directly to the hospital after splashing down in the Pacific near San Diego.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
These models from China are directly competing with video generation models such as OpenAI's Sora, as well as robotics models from Nvidia and Google.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
If the whole thing is about moving fast with your eye strictly on efficiency, then an awful lot of people are going to get really hurt.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
An earpiece was initially proposed strictly for emergencies — earthquakes, sudden weather changes — but Honnold readily agreed to stay connected and converse occasionally with the broadcast team below.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The answer, quite straightforwardly, is no.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The Oscar-winning British filmmaker crafts a sumptuous bad romance that’s quite haughty, darkly hilarious and ultimately heartfelt.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
If the answer is yes, service scope is a design problem, not a deal breaker.—
Erik Huberman,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The answer from the skiing community remains yes.—
Andrew Dampf,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Started around 2016, right around the time of the presidential election.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Slim V-neck Tee A v-neck tee is a travel classic for a reason, and this one gets the proportions just right.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
That day, combined with an indigo blue dress, Máxima perfectly understood the symbolic weight of the royal jewelry box.—
Marta Martínez Tato,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
-
With a perfectly crispy and browned panko crust, this casserole is nearly irresistible.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exactly. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
