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

Yes, a Barbie doll is not exactly natural and the same can be said about melanotan II. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026

The announcement of a new investor without any details about who that investor is will also not exactly inspire confidence. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Racing Louisville, is not exactly an offensive juggernaut with just six goals in its last five matches. — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026

Said sad attraction is not exactly comparable to Buckingham Fountain. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for not exactly

• abstractly