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as in exact
being neither more nor less than a certain amount, number, or extent gave him the precise amount that he owed him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of precise are accurate, correct, exact, nice, and right. While all these words mean "conforming to fact, standard, or truth," precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation.

precise calibration

When would accurate be a good substitute for precise?

The words accurate and precise are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care.

an accurate description

In what contexts can correct take the place of precise?

Although the words correct and precise have much in common, correct usually implies freedom from fault or error.

correct answers
socially correct dress

When is it sensible to use exact instead of precise?

In some situations, the words exact and precise are roughly equivalent. However, exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth.

exact measurements

When could nice be used to replace precise?

The synonyms nice and precise are sometimes interchangeable, but nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination.

makes nice distinctions

How do right and correct relate to one another, in the sense of precise?

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 precise As for other radios, the iPhone 16 has Wi-Fi 7 and an ultra-wideband (UWB) chip for precise location tracking, while the 16e has Wi-Fi 6 and no UWB chip. PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025 The Indigenous are very precise in their storytelling. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025 While Silksong's bosses might be a little tougher, and its jumping challenges a little more precise, its predecessor was also often unforgiving and gated in almost the exact same ways (though some of this difficulty was eventually rebalanced). ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025 And that precise measurement is what allowed those sciences to really take off. Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for precise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precise
Adjective
  • Customer service and tech support will provide faster resolutions and more accurate answers.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • That volume of data is impractical to fit theoretical models to deliver large-scale, accurate predictions.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Lloyd is 100 percent correct that throwing him into his first start against any of those teams could end up being a massive mistake and could set him up for failure.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • All documents marked secret should only be visible to people with the correct clearances.
    Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The immersive room can simulate everything from a choose-your-own-adventure medical crisis to the exact bedroom a kid will return to after their hospital visit.
    Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
  • That’s the exact question NFL icon Tom Brady raised last week.
    Don Yaeger, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Early in the novel, Harold points out that authors are constantly looking for ways to bury their true beliefs in their text, rather than state them outright.
    Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Like many Stephen King stories, the truest horrors are the ones that exist in reality.
    James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital screened 3,508 patients with stage I, II, or III rectal cancer or stage II or III colon cancer, finding that 1,103 of these people had a specific variant in the PI3K pathway – the genetic marker of interest.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Pillars of the Green Transition, which is set to take place next Wednesday, will bring specific case studies on energy storage, food systems and bioenergy to audiences at the magazine's New York headquarters.
    Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Researchers have successfully used a quantum algorithm to solve a complex century-old mathematical problem long considered impossible for even the most powerful conventional supercomputers.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Jose Salazar is in his second year at Davis pursuing a doctorate degree in mathematical atmospheric sciences.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • After the 1-0 win, Bright spoke to the media about being ‘proper English’.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The proper name for the show is IAA Mobility 2025, short for Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung.
    Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Be reflective about your authentic style.
    Essence, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Believe in your authentic value, in your own development—don't let trends unsettle you.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Precise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precise. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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