exactly
intjEtymology From exact + -ly.
1
Signifies agreement or recognition.
- So you're saying that we have only three days left? — Yes, exactly!
exactly
adv/ɪɡˈzæk(t).li/
Etymology From exact + -ly.
1
Manner Without approximation; precisely.
- Measure exactly so we can be sure it is right.
- The edge is not exactly straight.
2 more examples
- He divided the coins exactly in half.
- He, that would write exactly, muſt avoid a Barbarous Pronunciation, and conſider for facility, or thorow miſtake, many words are not ſounded after the beſt dialect. Such as […] Wun, one.1687, Chriſtopher Cooper, “Chap. XIX: Of Barbarous Speaking”, in The Engliſh Teacher, London: John Richardſon, for the Author, pages 77-78; republished Menston: Scolar Press, 1969:
2
Focus Precisely, used to provide emphasis.
- He did it that way exactly to prove the point.
- His hair is a semilong dull red and pulled back in a sloppy pony at the base of his neck, and his face is riddled with small freckles and grease, but out here I can see personal hygiene isn't exactly at the top of the priority list.2012, Amlynn Smith, Lost and Found, page 18:
- Synonyms
28 terms
accurately, exact, perfectly, correctly, dead-nuts, definitely, directly, even, exactly, fully, incisively, just, jump, on target, on the button, on the dot, on the mark, on the money, on the nose, plump, plunk, precisely, punctually, right, sharp, slap, slap bang, squarely- Antonyms
- approximately, imprecisely, inaccurately, incorrectly, inexactly
- Derived terms
- do exactly what it says on the tin, eggsactly, exacatically, exactically, exactually, my point exactly, not exactly, perxactly, perzackly, perzactly, prexactly, prezackly, prezactly
- Hyponyms
- bang on, completely, even so, minutely, smack-dab, verbatim, word for word