exactly different

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'exactly different' is not correct in written English.
The phrase 'completely different' can be used in its place. Example: This vacation was completely different from our last one.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Then compare these two groups, which are all headaches in just one day and all could be recalled clearly, to show the exactly different burden and relationship between the two common disorders.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

According to Gililand, roughly 95% of companies use Active Directory and for those companies that also use Skyport, they can now get a window into how exactly different accounts may be abusing their Active Directory access.

TechCrunch

This is because that regardless of the sender's identity, there are exactly different options to generate the SAMAC, and all of them can be chosen by the SAMAC generation procedure and by any of the members in the AS with equal probability without depending on any complexity-theoretic assumptions.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Fitness is a very personal thing, so when it comes to the ever-expanding market of activity tracking gadgets, it always helps to hear what exactly different people love or hate about a given device when trying to assess if it's the right one for you.

TechCrunch

I made up this thing called The 50/50 Rule which is just the idea that the best-ever boyfriends, girlfriends, and roommates are half exactly like you and half exactly different, and it's held water ever since despite being one of the dumbest shits I ever said.

Vice

Hence, there are exactly different palindromes.

Bioinformatics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

It didn't make the towers look better, exactly, just different.

Vice

(Or, more exactly, since different entailment accounts will differ as to what counts as implicit content, entailment accounts have no problem with what counts as implicit ontological commitment by that account's own standards).

SEP

The exhaustive approach for the two-level cache considers exactly 458 different configurations, and for a single-level cache, it considers 24 different configurations.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

Analysts say it is hard to know exactly why different mortgage companies handle delinquent loans so differently.

The New York Times

Not funny, exactly, but different.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When emphasizing the precision of a difference, use phrases like "precisely distinct" or "specifically unique" for better accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using adverbs that don't logically enhance the adjective. In this case, "exactly" doesn't improve "different"; instead, use a more fitting adverb like "completely" to better express the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exactly different" functions as an adverb-adjective combination attempting to modify a noun, but it does so incorrectly. Ludwig AI indicates the construction is not standard English, and better alternatives exist.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "exactly different" is a non-standard construction attempting to emphasize the precision of a difference. However, Ludwig AI marks it as grammatically incorrect, suggesting alternatives like "completely different" or "precisely distinct" are more appropriate. While it appears in some news and scientific contexts, its usage remains uncommon, and it is generally advisable to avoid it in formal writing to maintain clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely different

Emphasizes a total divergence, offering a more grammatically sound alternative.

entirely dissimilar

Highlights the lack of resemblance using a more formal tone.

precisely distinct

Focuses on the accuracy of the distinction between items.

markedly diverse

Stresses the variation and difference in a noticeable way.

sharply contrasting

Indicates a clear and easily observable difference.

specifically unique

Emphasizes the distinctiveness with a focus on particular characteristics.

definitely separate

Highlights the state of being not connected or related.

patently unlike

Stresses an obvious and readily apparent dissimilarity.

categorically different

Underscores the difference in terms of categories or types.

absolutely distinct

Implies a complete and unambiguous separation or difference.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "exactly different"?

You can use alternatives like "completely different", "entirely dissimilar", or "precisely distinct" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "exactly different"?

No, the phrase "exactly different" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use alternatives like "completely different".

How can I emphasize that two things are very different?

To emphasize the difference, use phrases such as "markedly diverse", "sharply contrasting", or "absolutely distinct". These phrases convey a stronger sense of dissimilarity than "different" alone.

What's the difference between "exactly different" and "completely different"?

While "exactly different" is not grammatically sound, "completely different" is a standard phrase that means there is no similarity between two things. The use of "completely" strengthens the idea of difference.