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

1
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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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
Aside from that, SteamOS is just built from the ground up for this exact purpose: gaming. PC Magazine, 7 June 2025 McHenry used advanced computer simulations to calculate the exact parameters for the jump, including ramp design, speed, and vehicle specs. Joe Salas june 07, New Atlas, 7 June 2025
Verb
How a Sustainable Clothing Entrepreneur Spends Her Sundays That remarkable string of turmoil comes as Mr. Trump has sought to enlist the tax collection agency in exacting political retribution. Andrew Duehren, New York Times, 20 May 2025 The director’s camera moves are exacting, and his compositions carefully arranged, like a cross between a mid-century Belgian comic book and a prizewinning American high-school science-fair project. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for exact
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exact
Adjective
  • Within the workspace, one agentic AI can be used to remediate vulnerabilities in the code in Terraform and then route to another agent that will check the syntax to make sure that everything is correct.
    Edouard Viot, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • That included two — Matt G. and Gaurav A. — who only had Carolina left on their entry, meaning they were guaranteed a correct answer.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • The precise combination reproduces highly detailed and accurate sound.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Lawyers for Smith countered that the Supreme Court has previously said there’s no precise math equation for determining an intellectual disability.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • Amazon Prime Video’s newest NASCAR stat incorporates tens of thousands of incoming data points in real time, using machine learning over the course of a race for more accurate outputs.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 7 June 2025
  • Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
    Maryal Miller Carter, USA Today, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • The family secrets were subtle but pervasive, reverberating not just through this nuclear family, but also across generations.
    Susan Walter June 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
  • Your new album, Faith, is a lot subtler than your debut, Signs.
    Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • On a weekend in mid-May, a clandestine mathematical conclave convened.
    Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 6 June 2025
  • This, too, is a mathematical property of the system because decline and recovery have different incentive structures.
    Avi Dor, The Conversation, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • The Hillsborough Family Support Group spent decades demanding further investigations take place.
    Julia Andersen, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
  • While Venis, Randall and Hugo hold firm that no one should slow down technological advancement just to prevent people from using it for evil, the government and the media begin demanding that Venis step up and solve the problem.
    Selome Hailu, Variety, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • Now that Trump has sidestepped Congress and claimed the right to impose tariffs at will, Woldenberg is taking on the White House directly.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • That gave the coaches at least an idea of how the two young linemen move on their feet without a defensive end imposing his weight, will and strength on them.
    Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • He should have been arrested right then and there for the FBI for trying to extort Natalie's mother.
    Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2025
  • Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, then alleged in a legal filing that Lively was attempting to extort a statement of support from Swift.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exact. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

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