exact 1 of 2

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as in precise
being neither more nor less than a certain amount, number, or extent the exact number of passengers on that airplane was 147

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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exact

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verb

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as in to demand
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority every war inevitably exacts the greatest sacrifice possible from some of the nation's best and brightest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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3
as in to extort
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats that loan shark can be counted upon to exact repayment of his loan by whatever means necessary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word exact different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of exact are accurate, correct, nice, precise, and right. While all these words mean "conforming to fact, standard, or truth," exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth.

exact measurements

In what contexts can accurate take the place of exact?

The synonyms accurate and exact are sometimes interchangeable, but accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care.

an accurate description

When could correct be used to replace exact?

In some situations, the words correct and exact are roughly equivalent. However, correct usually implies freedom from fault or error.

correct answers
socially correct dress

When would nice be a good substitute for exact?

The words nice and exact can be used in similar contexts, but nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination.

makes nice distinctions

How do precise and exact relate to one another?

Precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation.

precise calibration

How are the words right and correct related as synonyms of exact?

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exact
Adjective
But what if these exact moments could become your greatest competitive advantage? Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025 The exact split is yet to be confirmed, but around 25 per cent of the value pillar is shared according to the 10-year ranking; the remaining 75 per cent incorporates both the five-year ranking and a club’s share of their country’s TV pool. Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Verb
To his staff, Mr. McNally is known for being engaged, collaborative and exacting: correcting their grammar in emails to customers, noticing tiny glitches in the lighting, keeping abreast of problems in the service (and in customers’ behavior). Sarah Lyall, New York Times, 2 May 2025 Ellie, now consumed by grief and rage, sets out on a mission to exact vengeance against Abby and her crew, causing untold chaos in her wake. EW.com, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exact
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exact
Adjective
  • Layne suggested Edward ride again the following week, and over time, as the Lamb family regularly made its way to the Batty farm, Edward started to point out the correct directions.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • This story was updated with a correct statement from the FBI.
    Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Thanks to a precise forecast of aurora three days after a huge CME left the sun in the direction of Mars, Perseverance’s SuperCam and Mastcam-Z instruments observed green aurora.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
  • In a market where competition is fierce, offering focused collections with a precise theme is key to standing out and catching the eye.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 19 May 2025
  • To be more accurate, residents in 69 towns rolled out their trash bins every week and never thought about where it was headed and one town received it all.
    Sarah McCoy, Hartford Courant, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • With its strapless neckline, subtle side slit, and body-hugging silhouette, it was made for sipping cocktails under palm trees in Miami or dancing the night away in Barcelona.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2025
  • For example, comparing transcripts side by side can reveal subtle shifts in a witness' narrative, prompting further scrutiny.
    Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • The financial jargon that would try to justify this investment as a mathematical certainty has not been invented yet.
    Matt Slater, New York Times, 16 May 2025
  • The new findings, published Wednesday (May 14) in the journal Nature, show that abstract mathematical concepts from theoretical physics have practical use in modeling space-time ripples, paving the way for more precise models to interpret observational data.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • In the strips that make up the inaugural Archipelago Mafalda, Quino’s heroine demands, over and over, that adults do a better job both explaining and occupying the world.
    Lily Meyer, The Dial, 20 May 2025
  • The shifting nature of public opinion nowadays demands tough talk, of strong borders and rule of law.
    Michael Luo, New Yorker, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • In Game 6, the Nuggets, already playing a short rotation, finally decided to impose their will physically on a young Thunder team.
    Kelly Iko, New York Times, 16 May 2025
  • To restore fairness, the city should impose an additional tax on whole-home short-term rental businesses.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • That laid the groundwork for Iran to retain the capability to continue to use its nuclear program to extort the United States and ultimately build a nuclear weapon.
    Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 12 May 2025
  • Since then, the Club Shay Shay host and his legal team have vehemently denied the allegations and claimed the Jane Doe set up the entire situation with a plan to extort him for $50 million.
    Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exact. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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