exact 1 of 2

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as in precise
being neither more nor less than a certain amount, number, or extent the exact number of passengers on that airplane was 147

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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exact

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verb

1
as in to demand
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority every war inevitably exacts the greatest sacrifice possible from some of the nation's best and brightest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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3
as in to extort
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats that loan shark can be counted upon to exact repayment of his loan by whatever means necessary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word exact different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of exact are accurate, correct, nice, precise, and right. While all these words mean "conforming to fact, standard, or truth," exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth.

exact measurements

In what contexts can accurate take the place of exact?

The synonyms accurate and exact are sometimes interchangeable, but accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care.

an accurate description

When could correct be used to replace exact?

In some situations, the words correct and exact are roughly equivalent. However, correct usually implies freedom from fault or error.

correct answers
socially correct dress

When would nice be a good substitute for exact?

The words nice and exact can be used in similar contexts, but nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination.

makes nice distinctions

How do precise and exact relate to one another?

Precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation.

precise calibration

How are the words right and correct related as synonyms of exact?

Right is close to correct but has a stronger positive emphasis on conformity to fact or truth rather than mere absence of error or fault.

the right thing to do

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exact
Adjective
Without names or identifying marks, though, the object’s exact significance remains unknown. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025 Professional installation fees typically apply, and exact pricing or terms may vary by ZIP code. Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
However, mythmaking exacts costs on our understanding of the past. Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025 The usually meek Claire makes up her mind to exact revenge on the bear. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exact
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exact
Adjective
  • The data, to skip ahead, did clearly prove that the suspicions were correct.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Their Week 9 victory over the Lions offered a glimpse at the correct formula.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Traditionally, systems capable of producing megawatts of power lacked the fine control needed for these delicate adjustments, while ultra-precise systems could not handle the massive energy loads.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The cookbooks, as precise and organized as a home ec teacher’s pantry, are filled with family-favorite recipes ranging from Wild-Rice Barley Casserole to Finnish Pulla Coffee Bread.
    Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • If accurate even only in part, such a dramatic escalation would cast doubt on the reliability of the election results and put the military at the center of the blame for the outcome.
    Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
  • The median offers a more accurate view of what's happening in a market than the average sales price, which would mean taking the sum of all sales prices then dividing by the number of homes sold.
    USA TODAY Network, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • There are more subtle links between the franchises as well, like the casting of Cameron Brown as the Drone Synth in the film.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Lucky Step Platform Sneakers These brown suede platform sneakers give a subtle lift while staying super comfortable thanks to memory foam insoles and arch support.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Blending Sufi classics, absurdist dreams, careful mathematical calculations and lyrical narratives, Ismailov invents an ingenious transnational poetics of love and longing for the digital age.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Einstein himself viewed it as a mathematical curiosity that likely had no physical meaning, but others disagreed.
    Big Think, Big Think, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Once inside, the hackers encrypted KNP’s data and locked its internal systems before demanding a ransom.
    Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Yes, potential excuses exist, such as the Tigers’ switch to Daniels, a senior Stanford transfer whose tremendous performance (353 yards passing and two touchdowns, 89 yards rushing and two touchdowns) demands the question of why Freeze didn’t turn the offense over to him weeks ago.
    Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The rub is that mandatory gratuities, the 15% to 20% that restaurants often impose on parties of six people or more, aren’t eligible for the deduction, a disappointment to the restaurant and foodservice industry, which held out hope for a different outcome.
    Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Scenes start, jarringly, without introduction or fanfare, as though we’ve been vaulted into the action; the plot resists all attempts by the viewer to impose any kind of order.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • By the following year, the FBI had recovered millions of dollars extorted from Colonial Pipeline by Darkside.
    Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
  • But in a rarity, a string of attacks were sourced to a pair of cybersecurity employees out to extort millions from victims.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exact. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

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