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exacting

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verb

present participle of exact
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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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective exacting contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of exacting are burdensome, onerous, and oppressive. While all these words mean "imposing hardship," exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding.

an exacting employer

When would burdensome be a good substitute for exacting?

In some situations, the words burdensome and exacting are roughly equivalent. However, burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain.

burdensome responsibilities

Where would onerous be a reasonable alternative to exacting?

Although the words onerous and exacting have much in common, onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful.

the onerous task of cleaning up the mess

When could oppressive be used to replace exacting?

While the synonyms oppressive and exacting are close in meaning, oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed.

the oppressive tyranny of a police state

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 exacting
Adjective
And his budgets, then as now, tended to reflect more exotic materials and more exacting processes. Ian Parker, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025 Alexander-Arnold is not unique in being held to a different, more exacting standard than the vast majority. Rory Smith, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025
Verb
The dual pressures of addiction and burnout are exacting a steep toll on America’s entrepreneurs and executives. Jaime Catmull, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 Playing, winning, is exacting its toll in the form of pain. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exacting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacting
Adjective
  • The takeaway: Be careful about triggering too many credit inquiries.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 13 July 2025
  • However, later in the day, be careful about jumping to conclusions when dealing with others.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • Ozzy Osbourne shared 3 children with first wife Thelma Riley The father of six children over two marriages, Osbourne has been vocal about how rigorous touring and alcohol use affected his family life.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 23 July 2025
  • The 22-year-old flew to the United States and went through the DCC’s rigorous tryouts, eventually becoming one of six new rookies to join the 36-member squad, out of thousands who auditioned.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • Ullmann is the daughter of the late Swedish director Ingmar Bergman and the Norwegian actor Liv Ullmann, and specifics of her childhood are not difficult to locate.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
  • In a region where resources can be difficult to access and censorship persists, the initiative provided more than support.
    Essie Assibu, Variety, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • Points available at the stage’s finish vary based on a coefficient of difficulty: the more challenging the stage, the fewer points available.
    Sophie Kaufman, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
  • Besides the challenging business climate in Chicago, President Donald Trump’s tariffs are contributing to rising food costs, and his immigration crackdown threatens to disrupt the food-service workforce.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • Everest's unpredictable weather and difficult breathing conditions make this one of the most physically and mentally demanding climbs in the world.
    Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Israel is demanding the release of all the remaining hostages, living and dead, with stages of a ceasefire in between releases, according to the ministry.
    Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • It could be argued that imposing retaliatory tariffs on electricity exports might encourage American states to seek more cost-effective energy alternatives, particularly those based on fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas.
    Ali Hoss, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • These executive orders have addressed a broad range of policy areas, including imposing tariffs that has escalated trade tensions and provoked retaliatory measures from foreign governments.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • That’s not the fault of Boll & Branch, that is just how this particular cotton weave works.
    Jessica Hartshorn, Flow Space, 14 July 2025
  • This particular pain is never returned to—not in these terms.
    James Wood, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • For example, in sales, if a customer wants a certain number of licenses but has a strict budget, an agent can help figure out the best deal by looking at things like license count, budget limits and different contract lengths (like one-, two- or three-year terms).
    Ian Gotts, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
  • Anna Marson, a former Tuscany regional minister who now teaches urban planning at a university in Venice, was closely involved in putting forward a plan to impose stricter environmental regulations on the region’s marble quarries in 2014.
    Meara Sharma, The Dial, 22 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exacting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacting. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

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