1
as in careful
hard to please
he was shocked when his normally exacting supervisor complimented him on a job well done
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rigorous
not allowing for any exceptions or loosening of standards
the prep school's exacting standards for admission
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
the new recruits had to adjust themselves to the exacting discipline of military life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
writing will always be an exacting task
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in demanding
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
2
as in imposing
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
vowed to exact a heavy fine from any hockey player engaging in such outrageous behavior on the ice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in extorting
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of exacting
Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 25 July 2025
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the more exacting standard raises questions about whether Tennessee’s law would survive.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 18 June 2025
The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
Who among us hasn’t fantasized in the shower about exacting elaborate revenge for petty upsets, or lain awake trying to reframe our humiliations as epic tales of triumph?
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacting
Adjective
The princess line reached its apogee around the turn of the century, in the creations of Jean-Philippe for the House of Worth’s most exacting and original client, Élisabeth de Riquet de Caraman-Chimay, a.k.a.
—Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 25 July 2025
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the more exacting standard raises questions about whether Tennessee’s law would survive.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 18 June 2025
Verb
This audience is not composed of food critics, or exacting chefs.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
Who among us hasn’t fantasized in the shower about exacting elaborate revenge for petty upsets, or lain awake trying to reframe our humiliations as epic tales of triumph?
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacting
Adjective
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Step by careful step, Holbrook climbed, holding out bologna and cheese until two pairs of cautious eyes peeked back.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors.—
Harlan Vaughn,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The Encinitas Green Business Network provides a rigorous framework for local organizations to reduce their environmental footprint through actionable, practical, and high-impact improvements.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Jens generally chooses his words carefully, and is, what’s more, particularly reticent just after finishing a long and difficult winter delivery trip; what’s a person supposed to do with words in a blizzard anyway, up on a stormy heath and all directions lost?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
In his first start in the wake of Beau Pribula’s significant injury, Zollers walked into a difficult situation, and his stat line reflected it.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
With launch costs extremely high, sending a large platform to orbit is challenging.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Their league schedule in the Southland Conference includes a challenging February road stretch through Texas, and non-conference begins with a high-profile matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Standing in the way of technology development is not a good look for the Democratic Party, but demanding that tech companies foot the bill for the need to modernize, upgrade and massively expand utility electricity generation would be a good position to take.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
New Yorkers have always risen to critical moments—demanding not perfection, but courage and connection.—
Sally Susman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
For those who prefer not to walk for hours under the imposing Brazilian sun, renting a car may prove to be the most comfortable method of touring the city.—
Greyson Ferguson,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
-
But the tariffs spooked American businesses, prompting a court challenge, contending that the president had exceeded his authority in imposing the tariffs.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
He is also accused of extorting an unnamed person to collect gambling debts in 2023.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Nearly a billion records were stolen across dozens of organizations, and now cybercriminals are extorting victims by threatening to publish the data unless hefty ransoms are paid.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Of course, the path to a particular friendship is never easy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Berens brings his particular brand of Midwest nice to his latest hour (watch the trailer above), full of stories about growing up one of 12 children, sneaking a beer into church, gambling with his grandmother, and Midwest Cheap Hacks.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exacting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacting. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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