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

Fans of the graphic novel series may notice the storyline is not exactly what’s in the 2015 novella — a choice that made sense for their screen incarnations, says Oseman. — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2026

A bit like England, though, the defending champion has not exactly clicked in North America in terms of performances. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 15 July 2026

The pleasures of southwestern Montana in the summertime are not exactly a secret. — Jesse Ashlock, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026

Before Embolo’s dramatic dismissal, Argentina were not exactly pressing home their one-goal advantage. — Stuart James, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Rhymes for not exactly

• abstractly