exactly

Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.

ex·act·ly

(ĭg-zăkt′lē)

adv.

1. In an exact manner; accurately.

2. In all respects; just: Do exactly as you please.

3. As you say. Used to indicate agreement.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

exactly

(ɪɡˈzæktlɪ)

adv

1. in an exact manner; accurately or precisely

2. in every respect; just: it is exactly what I want.

3. not exactly ironic not at all; by no means

sentence substitute

just so! precisely!

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ex•act•ly

(ɪgˈzækt li)

adv.

1. precisely; accurately.

2. in every respect; just: He will do exactly what he wants.

3. quite so.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Adv.	1.	exactly - indicating exactness or preciseness; "he was doing precisely (or exactly) what she had told him to do"; "it was just as he said--the jewel was gone"; "it has just enough salt" precisely, just
	2.	exactly - just as it should be; "`Precisely, my lord,' he said" on the button, on the dot, on the nose, precisely
	3.	exactly - in a precise manner; "she always expressed herself precisely" incisively, precisely imprecisely, inexactly - in an imprecise manner; "he expressed himself imprecisely"

exactly

adverb

1. accurately, correctly, definitely, truly, precisely, strictly, literally, faithfully, explicitly, rigorously, unequivocally, scrupulously, truthfully, methodically, unerringly, faultlessly, veraciously Can you describe exactly what he looked like?

2. precisely, just, expressly, prompt (informal), specifically, bang on (informal), to the letter, on the button (informal) He arrived at exactly five o'clock.

interjection

1. precisely, yes, quite, of course, certainly, indeed, truly, that's right, absolutely, spot-on (Brit. informal), just so, quite so, ya (S. African), as you say, you got it (informal), assuredly, yebo (S. African informal) `We don't know the answer to that.' - 'Exactly. So shut up and stop speculating.'

not exactly (Ironical) not at all, hardly, not really, not quite, certainly not, by no means, in no way, not by any means, in no manner Sailing is not exactly a cheap hobby.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

exactly

adverb

1. In an exact manner:

even, just, precisely.

2. With precision or absolute conformity:

bang, dead, direct, directly, fair, flush, just, precisely, right, smack, square, squarely, straight.

Slang: smack-dab.

Translations

أوافِق تمامابالضَّبْطبالضَّبْط، تَماماتـَمَاماً

точно

přesně

helt enigligenøjagtigpræcispræcist

genau gerade

ακριβώς

exactamente justamente justo

täsmälleen

exactement juste justement montre en main précisément

preciznotočno

einmitt, hárréttnákvæmlega

esattamente appunto giustamente precisamente proprio

正確に

정확히

precies exact

akkurat helt riktig nettopp

dokładnie

exatamente

точно

natančnotočno

exakt

อย่างถูกต้อง

tam tam olaraktam tamınaçok doğrukesinlikle

точно

một cách chính xác

严密地恰好正是这样精确地

exactly

[ɪgˈzæktlɪ] ADV [know, resemble] → exactamente; [calculate, measure, describe] → exactamente, con precisión
at exactly five o'clock → a las cinco en punto
what did you tell him exactly?; what exactly did you tell him? → ¿qué le dijiste exactamente?
that's exactly what I was thinking → eso es exactamente lo que yo estaba pensando
he's exactly like his father → es exactamente igual que su padre, es clavado a su padre
nobody knows who exactly will be in charge → nadie sabe con exactitud quién será el encargado
I wanted to get everything exactly right → quería hacerlo todo a la perfección
"do you mean that we are stuck here?" - "exactly!" → -¿quieres decir que no nos podemos mover de aquí? -¡exacto! or -¡efectivamente!
he wasn't exactly pleased (iro) → no estaba precisamente contento → no estaba muy contento, que digamos
it's not exactly interesting (iro) → no es lo que se dice interesante
"is she sick?" - "not exactly" → -¿está enferma? -no exactamente

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

exactly

[ɪgˈzæktli] adv → exactement
exactly the same → exactement le même
not exactly → pas exactement
It's exactly 10 o'clock → Il est dix heures précises.
at 5 o'clock exactly → à cinq heures précises
exactly! → parfaitement!, précisément!
not exactly → pas vraiment
He's not exactly rich
BUT Il est loin d'être riche.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

exactly

adv → genau; I wanted to know exactly where my mother was buried → ich wollte genau wissen, wo meine Mutter begraben war; that’s exactly what I was thinking → genau das habe ich auch gedacht; at exactly five o’clock → um Punkt fünf Uhr; at exactly 9.43 a.m./the right time → genau um 9.43 Uhr/zur richtigen Zeit; I want to get things exactly right → ich will es ganz richtig machen; who exactly will be in charge? → wer wird eigentlich die Verantwortung haben?; that’s not exactly what I mean → das ist nicht genau das, was ich meine; exactly the same → genau der/die/das Gleiche; you mean we are stuck? — exactly → wir sitzen also fest? — stimmt genau; is she sick? — not exactly → ist sie krank? — eigentlich nicht; not exactly (iro: = hardly) → nicht gerade; his father was not exactly poor/pleased → sein Vater war nicht gerade arm/erfreut; it’s not exactly a comedy → es ist nicht gerade eine Komödie

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

exactly

[ɪgˈzæktlɪ] adv (describe, know, resemble) → esattamente; (of time) → in punto
exactly! → esatto!
that's exactly what I thought → è proprio quello che pensavo
it's exactly 5 o'clock → sono le 5 in punto

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

exact

(igˈzӕkt) adjective

1. absolutely accurate or correct in every detail; the same in every detail; precise. What are the exact measurements of the room?; For this recipe the quantities must be absolutely exact; an exact copy; What is the exact time?; He walked in at that exact moment.

2. (of a person, his mind etc) capable of being accurate over small details. Accountants have to be very exact.

verb

to force the payment of or giving of. We should exact fines from everyone who drops litter on the streets.

exˈacting adjective

requiring much effort or work from a person. a very exacting job.

exˈactly adverb

1. just; quite; absolutely. He's exactly the right man for the job.

2. in accurate detail; precisely. Work out the prices exactly; What exactly did you say?

3. used as a reply meaning `I quite agree'.

exˈactness noun

exactly

→ تـَمَاماً přesně præcist genau ακριβώς exactamente täsmälleen exactement precizno esattamente 正確に 정확히 precies akkurat dokładnie exatamente точно exakt อย่างถูกต้อง tam olarak một cách chính xác 严密地

References in classic literature ?

"Exactly, exactly; it had to be concluded in order to give relevancy to the motion that I am about to make.

View in context

"Exactly soThe shape of the eye and the lines about the mouthI have not a doubt of your success.

View in context

("That's exactly the method," the Bellman bold In a hasty parenthesis cried, "That's exactly the way I have always been told That the capture of Snarks should be tried!")

View in context

"Of course I'll go over to Paris if you think I can do any good, but you must tell me exactly what you want me to do."

View in context

"Princess Yusupova wore one exactly like this," said Berg, pointing to the fichu with a happy and kindly smile.

View in context

Yet is it possible, my friend, that thou mayest have seen all these without being able to form an exact idea of Sophia; for she did not exactly resemble any of them.

View in context

When I devised this story, I foresaw the likelihood that a class of readers and commentators would suppose that I was at great pains to conceal exactly what I was at great pains to suggest: namely, that Mr John Harmon was not slain, and that Mr John Rokesmith was he.

View in context

That is exactly what I have been called by readers of your novel; and that, indeed, is exactly what I am, judged by the fictitious and feminine standard of morality.

View in context

'Dear father, I wish for eleven girls exactly like myself in face, figure, and size.' The father said: 'If it be possible, your desire shall be fulfilled,' and he caused a search to be made in his whole kingdom, until eleven young maidens were found who exactly resembled his daughter in face, figure, and size.

View in context

We could not exactly pitch stumps, for they are forbidden in the Gardens, but there are trees here and there which have chalk-marks on them throughout the summer, and when you take up your position with a bat near one of these you have really pitched stumps.

View in context

Miss Jessel stood before us on the opposite bank exactly as she had stood the other time, and I remember, strangely, as the first feeling now produced in me, my thrill of joy at having brought on a proof.

View in context

Now, from this peculiar sideway position of the whale's eyes, it is plain that he can never see an object which is exactly ahead, no more than he can one exactly astern.