correct

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

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

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.