- 1with a lot of control and rules that must be obeyed She was brought up very strictly. The industry is strictly regulated.
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- 2used to emphasize that something happens or must happen in all circumstances synonym absolutely Smoking is strictly forbidden. My letter is, of course, strictly private and confidential.
- 3in all details; exactly This is not strictly true.
- 4used to emphasize that something only applies to one particular person, thing, or situation synonym purely We'll look at the problem from a strictly legal point of view. I know we're friends, but this is strictly business. Their relationship is strictly platonic. Idioms
if you are using words or rules in their exact or correct sense Strictly speaking, the book is not a novel, but a short story. Using the word in that context is not, strictly speaking, correct.
Check pronunciation: strictly