not exactly

phrase

informal

1

—used in speech as a mild way of saying "no" especially to indicate that what someone has said is not completely correct or true

"He's your boss, isn't he?" "Not exactly."

"Did everything go the way you planned it?" "Not exactly."

2

—used as a humorous or ironic way to say "not"

He's not exactly the smartest guy I've ever met.

Examples of not exactly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

San Jose Downtown Association CEO Brian Kurtz played prankster, showing up in a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey, not exactly a welcome sight so close to the Shark Tank. — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026

Judging from the big sigh on the elevator, as Robby wraps his stethoscope around his neck like only Wyle can, he's not exactly refreshed and eager to step back into the emergency room. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

For one Texas woman, the future has already arrived, though perhaps not exactly as Amazon intended. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026

But in the view of Martin and his colleagues, LUCA was not exactly biological but rather a chemical system formed in the unique environment created by hydrothermal vents. — Philip Ball, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for not exactly

• abstractly