exactly
adverb OPAL S
/ɪɡˈzæktli/
/ɪɡˈzæktli/
Idioms - used to emphasize that something is correct in every way or in every detail synonym precisely
- It's exactly nine o'clock.
- It happened almost exactly a year ago.
- Your answer is exactly right.
- It was a warm day, if not exactly hot.
- exactly how, what, why, etc… I know exactly how she felt.
- It's impossible to say exactly what happened.
- exactly as… Do exactly as I tell you.
- You haven't changed at all—you still look exactly the same.
- His words had exactly the opposite effect.
- (informal) used to ask for more information about something
- Where exactly did you stay in France?
- (disapproving) Exactly what are you trying to tell me?
- used as a reply, agreeing with what somebody has just said, or emphasizing that it is correct
- ‘You mean somebody in this room must be the murderer?’ ‘Exactly.’
Idioms
not exactly (informal)
- used when you are saying the opposite of what you really mean
- He wasn't exactly pleased to see us—in fact he refused to open the door.
- It's not exactly beautiful, is it? (= it's ugly)
- used when you are correcting something that somebody has said
- ‘So he told you you'd got the job?’ ‘Not exactly, but he said they were impressed with me.’