by the numbers

prepositional phrase

exactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.

Similar
by the bookby numbers
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Meanings

prepositional phrase

alternative by-the-numbers

  1. idiomaticexactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.

    Synonyms: by the book, by numbers

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseexactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.

Similar
by the bookby numbers

Origin

The origin of this phrase goes back to the American Revolutionary War where a book containing numbered positions for rifle and bayonet practice was used to train soldiers. In the book, each diagram was numbered.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

by the numbers. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/by%20the%20numbers

MLA

“by the numbers.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/by%20the%20numbers. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “by the numbers,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/by%20the%20numbers.

Source: by the numbers on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.