Meanings
comparative more exactly · superlative most exactly
- mannerWithout approximation; precisely.
The edge is not exactly straight.
3 more examples
Measure exactly so we can be sure it is right.
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, 1969Synonyms: accurately
- focusPrecisely, used to provide emphasis.
He did it that way exactly to prove the point.
1 more example
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
- Signifies agreement or recognition.
So you're saying that we have only three days left? — Yes, exactly!
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbWithout approximation; precisely.
antonym(s) of “without approximation”
More synonyms by meaning
adverbjust as it should be
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Ancient Greek ἀκριβῶς
- ἀκριβῶς (akribôs)in an exact manner
Arabic بِالضَّبْط, تَمَامًا
- بِالضَّبْط (bi-ḍ-ḍabṭ)in an exact manner
- تَمَامًا (tamāman)in an exact manner
- بِالْضَبْط (bi-l-ḍabṭ)signifying agreement or recognition
Bulgarian точно, именно
- точно (točno)in an exact manner
- именно (imenno)signifying agreement or recognition
Catalan exactament
- exactamentin an exact manner
Chinese Mandarin 恰恰
- 恰恰 (qiàqià)in an exact manner
Czech přesně, přesně
- přesněin an exact manner
- přesněsignifying agreement or recognition
Danish præcis, præcis
- præcisin an exact manner
- præcissignifying agreement or recognition
Dutch precies, exact
- preciesin an exact manner
- exactin an exact manner
- preciessignifying agreement or recognition
Esperanto ekzakte, precize
- ekzaktein an exact manner
- precizein an exact manner
Estonian täpselt, täpselt
- täpseltin an exact manner
- täpseltsignifying agreement or recognition
Finnish täsmälleen, tarkasti
- täsmälleenin an exact manner
- tarkastiin an exact manner
- tarkalleenin an exact manner
- tarkkaanin an exact manner
- täsmällisestiin an exact manner
- tasanin an exact manner
- täsmälleensignifying agreement or recognition
- juuri niinsignifying agreement or recognition
- aivansignifying agreement or recognition
French exactement
- exactementin an exact manner
German genau, ganz genau
- genauin an exact manner
- ganz genausignifying agreement or recognition
Hebrew בדיוק, בדיוק
- בדיוק (b'diyúk)in an exact manner
- בדיוק (b'diyúk)signifying agreement or recognition
Hungarian pontosan
- pontosanin an exact manner
Icelandic einmitt
- einmittsignifying agreement or recognition
Indonesian tepat
- tepatin an exact manner
Irish go díreach
- go díreachin an exact manner
Italian esattamente, appunto
- esattamentein an exact manner
- appuntosignifying agreement or recognition
Japanese 正確に
- 正確に (seikaku ni)in an exact manner
Korean 정확하게
- 정확하게 (jeonghwakhage)in an exact manner
Latin ad unguem, adeō
- ad unguemin an exact manner
- adeōin an exact manner
- examussimin an exact manner
Malay tepat-tepat, dengan tepat
- tepat-tepatin an exact manner
- dengan tepatin an exact manner
- setepatnyain an exact manner
- tepat sekalisignifying agreement or recognition
Māori pū, koia pū
- pūin an exact manner
- koia pūsignifying agreement or recognition
Norwegian Bokmål nettopp, akkurat
- nettoppsignifying agreement or recognition
- akkuratsignifying agreement or recognition
Polish dokładnie, ściśle
- dokładniein an exact manner
- ściślein an exact manner
- precyzyjniein an exact manner
- właśniesignifying agreement or recognition
- no właśniesignifying agreement or recognition
- dokładniesignifying agreement or recognition
Portuguese exatamente
- exatamentein an exact manner
Russian то́чно, и́менно
- то́чно (tóčno)in an exact manner
- и́менно (ímenno)signifying agreement or recognition
- вот и́менно (vot ímenno)signifying agreement or recognition
Scottish Gaelic dìreach
- dìreachsignifying agreement or recognition
Slovak presne
- presnein an exact manner
Spanish exactamente, exacto
- exactamentein an exact manner
- exactoin an exact manner
- tal comoin an exact manner
- tal cual comoin an exact manner
- exactosignifying agreement or recognition
- exactamentesignifying agreement or recognition
- écolesignifying agreement or recognition
Swedish exakt, prick
- exaktin an exact manner
- prickin an exact manner
- exaktsignifying agreement or recognition
- precissignifying agreement or recognition
Tagalog mismo
- mismosignifying agreement or recognition
Turkish aynen, tam
- aynenin an exact manner
- tamin an exact manner
- tam olarakin an exact manner
- tam anlamdain an exact manner
- aynen öylesignifying agreement or recognition
Ukrainian точно, са́ме
- точно (točno)in an exact manner
- са́ме (sáme)signifying agreement or recognition
Vietnamese đúng rồi, đúng vậy
- đúng rồisignifying agreement or recognition
- đúng vậysignifying agreement or recognition
- đósignifying agreement or recognition
Welsh i'r dim, yn union
- i'r dimin an exact manner
- yn unionin an exact manner
- yn gymwysin an exact manner
- yn unionsignifying agreement or recognition
- yn gymwyssignifying agreement or recognition
Cite this entry
exactly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exactly
“exactly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exactly. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “exactly,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exactly.
Source: exactly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.