precisely

adverb

pre·​cise·​ly pri-ˈsīs-lē How to pronounce precisely (audio)
1
: in a precise manner : exactly
weighing ingredients precisely
This incremental adjustment is continued until the bubble is precisely centered.Barry F. Kavanagh
often used to emphasize the precision of something (such as a measurement, time, description, etc.)
The sample weighed precisely 6 ounces.
We arrived at precisely two o'clock.
She always knows precisely what to do.
He was popular precisely because he was so kind.
She always woke at eight precisely.P. G. Wodehouse
It is precisely to counter this sort of "negative advertising" that the garbage industry has lately been working hard to change its image.Elizabeth Royte
2
: quite so
used to confirm emphatically that what has been said or suggested is exactly correct
"So you think the system is outdated?" "Precisely."

Examples of precisely in a Sentence

I feel precisely the same way as you do. measured the length of the board precisely
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That's precisely why Entertainment Weekly is celebrating what just might go down as the golden age of reality television with our Reality Rewind Issue, topped off with EW's ranking of our 25 favorite reality stars of the era. Ew Staff, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025 This year's first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere occurs precisely at 5:01 a.m. EST on March 20, according to NASA. Amanda Cappelli, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025 The rapid development of AI should further simplify the implementation of electric buses, which requires complex coordination of time intervals on the route and precisely timed charging schedules. Nadezhda Kosareva, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 The local government in Paradise, California, which was destroyed by the 2018 Camp Fire, is trying to buy up land around the community to do precisely that. Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for precisely

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of precisely was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Precisely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precisely. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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