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
The Legion’s battery life is good for the category—not exactly long, but long enough to avoid being an issue (unlike the Alienware’s result).
—
Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 3 Sep. 2025
However, sitting around at home was not exactly the norm for a young Patrick Murphy.
—Scott Talley, Freep.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Second, the Colts' quarterback situation is not exactly enviable.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
In agriculture and long-term health care, Americans are not exactly lining up for jobs.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
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Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 3 Sep. 2025
However, sitting around at home was not exactly the norm for a young Patrick Murphy.
—Scott Talley, Freep.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Second, the Colts' quarterback situation is not exactly enviable.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
In agriculture and long-term health care, Americans are not exactly lining up for jobs.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 1 Sep. 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 10 Sep. 2025.
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