Different Ways to Say Exactly in English
The word exactly is extremely useful in English — and extremely overused. Learners often rely on it whenever they want to sound precise, correct, or emphatic. While exactly is perfectly fine, English offers many more natural and expressive alternatives, depending on what kind of accuracy you want to express.
In this lesson, you will learn different ways to say “exactly”, grouped by meaning and use, with clear explanations and natural example sentences. By the end, you’ll know when exactly works — and when another word sounds better.
When you mean accurate or correct
Accurately
Use accurately to describe doing something with precision, care, and correctness.
- Meteorologists can now predict the weather quite accurately.
- She copied the text accurately, without any spelling mistakes.
- The machine measures temperature accurately, even at high speeds.
Correctly
Use correctly when something is done in the right way or without mistakes.
- Please fill in the form correctly.
- He answered all the questions correctly.
- Make sure the instructions are followed correctly.
Correctly focuses more on rules and correctness than on detail.
Precisely
Precisely is slightly more formal and is often used with time, language, or careful actions.
- The meeting started precisely at nine o’clock.
- She explained the problem clearly and precisely.
- That is precisely the point I was trying to make.
When you mean exact time
On the dot
The phrase on the dot is informal and is used to say something happens at an exact time — not a minute early or late.
- The train arrived at six on the dot.
- He’s very punctual — he always shows up on the dot.
- Be there at eight on the dot, please.
Exactly
Exactly itself works perfectly well for time, especially in neutral or written English.
- The plane landed at exactly 8:25.
- The shop closes exactly at noon.
When you mean exact position or place
Directly
Use directly when something is positioned with no space in between or in a straight line.
- She was sitting directly opposite me.
- The café is directly behind the station.
- Stand directly under the light.
Right
Right is informal and very common in spoken English. It adds emphasis to position.
- He was sitting right in the middle of the room.
- The keys are right next to your phone.
- She stopped right outside the door.
Dead (in fixed expressions)
Dead can be used informally to emphasise exact position or correctness, usually in fixed phrases.
- He hit the button in the dead centre of the panel.
- You’re dead right — that’s exactly what happened.
This use is informal and best suited to spoken English.
When you mean clear and exact wording
Explicitly
Use explicitly when something is stated clearly, directly, and without ambiguity.
- The rules are explicitly stated in the contract.
- She explicitly told him not to touch the equipment.
- The law explicitly forbids this behaviour.
When you mean completely right
Spot on
Spot on is informal and very common in spoken English. It means “exactly right”.
- Your description was spot on.
- “Is it about twenty minutes away?” “Yes — spot on.”
- The report was spot on, with no unnecessary details.
Summary: Which word should you choose?
- exactly / precisely → time, emphasis, formal accuracy
- accurately / correctly → doing something without mistakes
- on the dot → exact time (informal)
- directly / right / dead → exact position
- explicitly → clear and exact wording
- spot on → completely right (informal)
Final tip for learners
If you find yourself using exactly again and again, pause and ask – Am I talking about time, position, correctness, or clarity?
Choosing the right alternative will instantly make your English sound more natural, confident, and native-like — especially in conversations, writing tasks, and exams.
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