not exactly
idiom
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
In its determination to be surrounded by free-trading allies, the United States has not exactly kept its hands to itself.
—
Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Saturday was not exactly a daunting task for Kershaw.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
But what Adebayo does best also is best suited for a team in win-now mode, which is not exactly where the Heat stand at the moment.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2025
This is why the question of whether tariffs are good or bad is not exactly black and white.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
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Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Saturday was not exactly a daunting task for Kershaw.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
But what Adebayo does best also is best suited for a team in win-now mode, which is not exactly where the Heat stand at the moment.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2025
This is why the question of whether tariffs are good or bad is not exactly black and white.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
Cite this Entry
“Not exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20exactly. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
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