exactly born

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exactly born" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward or unclear.
It could be used in contexts where you want to emphasize the precise moment or conditions of someone's birth, but it is not standard. Example: "He was exactly born at midnight, marking the start of a new day."

News & Media

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

A star was not exactly born at that moment; after all, it was her fourth victory in a row.

The New York Times - Sports

A star wasn't exactly born, but the coming years found Ms. Freeman acting in a flood of Hollywood pictures.

The New York Times

The author's Internet trail matched the soldier's exactly: born 1924, Panama Canal Zone; lived in Kingston, Jamaica, and Oxford, N.C.; 1943 to 1946 in the Army, private to master sergeant; then Germany, France, New York.

The New York Times

Coltrane wasn't exactly born on the wrong side of the tracks, but early skirmishes in a schoolboy class war began to kick off as soon as he started secondary school.

The Guardian - Film

Wilson, the well-spoken Millfield School product and son of a Dorset stud farmer, was not exactly born with a plastic spoon in his mouth, but it was a blow when Britain's shooters had their funding cut for a year after a poor showing in Beijing four years ago.

Independent

Seeing these three soaring talents in the forest, and none of them exactly born close to a silver spoon, was, for republicans such as I, our Queen's 90th come about a month late: here, we could finally say, here in thrilling and unpatronising Shakespeare acted in blazing fashion for the BBC, broadcast to the world, nobody does it better.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

If you are UK domiciled (broadly, but not exactly, someone born in the UK and continuing to live there) then you pay UK tax on your entire worldwide income.

Forbes

Now the Pope tells us that we actually have no idea when exactly Jesus was born, and that, in fact, December is just a solstice-appropriate date that need not be taken literally.

Huffington Post

Where, exactly, were you born?

The New York Times - Magazine

I didn't even know when exactly she was born".

The Guardian - Arts

Poignantly, she was born exactly a year to the day after that dreadful hospital procedure.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exactly born" when you want to emphasize the precision or a specific condition surrounding someone's birth, contrasting it with a more general understanding. For example, "He wasn't just born in the year 2000, he was "exactly born" on January 1st, marking the new millennium."

Common error

Avoid using "exactly born" in contexts where general timing is sufficient. Overusing it can sound unnatural or pedantic. Instead, use "born" or "born on" for common situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exactly born" functions as an adverbial modifier emphasizing the precision or specific circumstance of the birth event. Ludwig AI's examples show its use in highlighting precise dates or conditions surrounding birth, like being "exactly born" on a specific day.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science & Research

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Science

7%

Wiki

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "exactly born" is an acceptable but uncommon way to emphasize the precise timing or conditions of a birth. While grammatically sound, Ludwig AI suggests using it judiciously to avoid sounding overly formal or pedantic. More frequent and natural-sounding alternatives include "precisely born" or "born on the exact date". Ludwig examples show its utility in scenarios where accuracy is crucial, as seen across news, science, and formal contexts. The register is generally neutral, tilting towards formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

precisely born

Replaces "exactly" with "precisely", emphasizing accuracy.

born at the precise moment

Specifies the accuracy to a particular moment in time.

born on the exact date

Highlights the accuracy of the birth date.

born to the day

Emphasizes the precision of the birth date in comparison to another event.

born at precisely

Rephrases to emphasize the accurate timing of birth.

born on the dot

An idiomatic expression for being born at a precise time.

born with exactitude

Emphasizes birth with attention to detail and accuracy.

specifically born

Highlights a particular purpose or intention behind the birth.

absolutely born

Highlights certainty of birth.

accurately born

Indicates the correct and precise record of someone's birth.

FAQs

What does "exactly born" mean?

The phrase "exactly born" emphasizes the precision or specific timing of someone's birth, usually in relation to a particular date, time, or event. It's used to highlight accuracy beyond a general approximation.

How can I use "exactly born" in a sentence?

You can use "exactly born" to emphasize a precise date or time. For example, "She wasn't just born in December; she was "exactly born" on Christmas Day."

What are some alternatives to using "exactly born"?

Alternatives include "precisely born", "born on the exact date", or "born at the precise moment", depending on the specific emphasis you want to convey.

Is it better to say "exactly born" or "born exactly"?

While both phrases are grammatically acceptable, "exactly born" is slightly more common when emphasizing a specific condition of birth. "Born exactly" is more frequently used in contexts relating to dates or times, like "born exactly one year later".