correct

verb

cor·rect | \ kə-ˈrekt

corrected; correcting; corrects

Definition of correct

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to make or set right : amend correct an error The editor corrected the author's manuscript.

b : counteract, neutralize correct a harmful tendency

c : to alter or adjust so as to bring to some standard or required condition correct a lens for spherical aberration She's having surgery to correct her vision.

2a : to discipline or punish (someone) for some fault or lapse … I was most rude then. Only a small boy, Sir, and I was corrected for it, I assure you, by my father …— Rex Ingamells

b : to point out usually for amendment the errors or faults of spent the day correcting tests

correct

adjective

Definition of correct (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : conforming to an approved or conventional standard correct behavior

2 : conforming to or agreeing with fact, logic, or known truth a correct response

3 : conforming to a set figure enclosed the correct return postage

4 : conforming to the strict requirements of a specific ideology or set of beliefs or values environmentally correct spiritually correct

Other Words from correct Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about correct

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Other Words from correct

Verb

correctable \ kə-ˈrek-tə-bəl

\ adjective

corrector \ kə-ˈrek-tər

\ noun

Adjective

correctly \ kə-ˈrek(t)-lē

\ adverb

correctness \ kə-ˈrek(t)-nəs

\ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for correct

Verb

correct, rectify, emend, remedy, redress, amend, reform, revise mean to make right what is wrong. correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects. correct your spelling rectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed. rectify a misguided policy emend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript. emend a text remedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil. set out to remedy the evils of the world redress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance. redress past social injustices amend, reform, revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes amend a law , reform implying drastic change plans to reform the court system , and revise suggesting a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes. revise the schedule

synonyms see in addition punish

Adjective

correct, accurate, exact, precise, nice, right mean conforming to fact, standard, or truth. correct usually implies freedom from fault or error. correct answers socially correct dress accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care. an accurate description exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth. exact measurements precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation. precise calibration nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination. makes nice distinctions 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

Adjective

correct, exact, and accurate mean agreeing with a fact, truth, or standard. correct is used for something that contains no errors. Can you give me correct directions? exact is used for something that agrees very closely with fact or truth. I need the exact measurements of the room. accurate is used when great care has been taken to make sure that something agrees with the facts. He gave an accurate description of the scene.

Examples of correct in a Sentence

Verb

I hate it when she corrects my grammar. Please correct your essay for punctuation errors. Our teacher hasn't finished correcting our tests yet. He corrects papers with a red pen. We are finding ways to correct this difficult situation. We'll correct the problem with the circuit as soon as possible. These medicines are used for correcting chemical imbalances in the brain.

Adjective

What's the correct answer to this question? Her watch never tells the correct time. an anatomically correct drawing of the human body Did I give you the correct change? With the correct amount of water and sunlight, the plant will grow well.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Prosecutors say Mark Riddell, 36 years old, helped teens cheat on college-entrance exams by correcting their answers, achieving impressive scores that were then submitted to selective colleges. — Jennifer Levitz, WSJ, "Test-Taking Whiz in College Admissions Scandal Pleads Guilty," 12 Apr. 2019 Many Muslim young adults, including myself, believe that the first step is correcting the ignorance of our peers, to educate and inform on their misconceptions. — Ahmad Ibsais, Teen Vogue, "New Zealand's Mass Shooting is an Expression of the Violence Muslims Face Around the World," 15 Mar. 2019 Near Zero analysts ran CARB’s calculations again, with the error corrected. — David Roberts, Vox, "California’s cap-and-trade system may be too weak to do its job," 12 Dec. 2018 The gap is persistent, and widening; half a century after the Fair Housing Act was supposed to help correct this historical injustice, the gap is wider than ever, with just 42.3 percent of black Americans owning homes. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Homes owned by black Americans undervalued by billions, says report," 27 Nov. 2018 However, if your issue is more anatomical and related to aging or previous surgery, lubricating medicines or a surgical procedure may be required to correct it, depending on the severity of your symptoms. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Are Eyelid Issues Causing Your Dry Eyes? Here's How to Tell," 14 Dec. 2018 Kilpatrick has filed a motion to have his sentence vacated, set aside or corrected. — Anne Branigin, The Root, "Since We’re in a Pardoning Mood ... Former Detroit Mayor Shoots His Pardon Shot With Trump in New Blog Post," 13 June 2018 State officials wrestled for years to correct those problems. — Joseph O’sullivan, The Seattle Times, "Inslee unveils $675 million plan to reverse crisis in Washington’s mental-health system," 12 Dec. 2018 The Wolverines did not have a single Ohio commit during the 2018 cycle but have corrected that issue – All is the fifth Ohioan in the Wolverines' '19 class. — Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati.com, "Fairfield's All to Michigan joining Moeller's Carpenter," 24 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Industry sources PCWorld contacted said that the roadmaps appear to be correct, though without confirming specifics. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Leaked Intel roadmaps call Intel's 10nm transition into question yet again," 26 Apr. 2019 Yes, your spidey senses are correct: It’s festival season. — Bianca Nieves, Teen Vogue, "Coachella's Latest Fashion Trend Is Ditching Pants for Swimsuits and Undies," 19 Apr. 2019 Jason Zweig is correct that if people were able to eliminate their emotions completely from the picture, invest in a diversified portfolio of index funds, and adjust the... — WSJ, "Not All Financial Planning Is Created Equal," 15 Apr. 2019 Quite simply, that is the only correct answer to the question posed in the headline of this story. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "Should You Use a Drone to Walk Your Dog?," 29 Mar. 2019 In addition to the athletic recruiting scheme, authorities say parents paid an admissions consultant to arrange for someone else to take college entrance exams on behalf of their children or correct answers for them. — Alanna Durkin Richer, The Seattle Times, "Coaches, others plead not guilty in college admissions scam," 25 Mar. 2019 Today the correct answers are just a few taps away on a smartphone. — The Economist, "Why some countries are turning off the internet on exam days," 5 July 2018 In both instances, the correct answer is the same: Yes. — George Varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Yes, meet Yes! A year after Rock Hall of Fame induction, two bands embark on Yes 50th anniversary tours," 23 June 2018 As a Disney rep confirmed to Southern Living the correct answer is... 325 animals! — Southern Living, "Can You Guess How Many Animals Are Carved onto Disney World's Tree of Life?," 19 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'correct.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for correct

Verb

Middle English, from Latin correctus, past participle of corrigere, from com- + regere to lead straight — more at right

Adjective

Middle English, corrected, from Latin correctus, from past participle of corrigere — see correct entry 1

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More Definitions for correct

correct

verb

English Language Learners Definition of correct

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to change (something) so that it is right, true, proper, etc. : to make (something) correct

: to mark the errors on (something that a person has written)

: to deal with or take care of (a problem, bad situation, etc.) successfully

correct

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of correct (Entry 2 of 2)

: true or accurate : agreeing with facts

: having no errors or mistakes

: proper or appropriate in a particular situation

See the full definition for correct in the English Language Learners Dictionary

correct

verb

cor·rect | \ kə-ˈrekt

corrected; correcting

Kids Definition of correct

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to make or set right Please correct any misspelled words.

2 : to change or adjust so as to bring to some standard or to a required condition My watch was slow, so I corrected it. Glasses will correct your vision.

3 : to punish in order to improve … Buldeo went out angrily … anxious to correct Mowgli for not taking better care of the herd.— Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book

4 : to show how a thing can be improved or made right She corrected the students' papers.