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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 Whatever the precise number, a bigger problem is that leaders in government and business aren’t using it. Justin Worland, Time, 5 June 2025 The directional pad is fully revamped for more precise movement, while the face buttons feel a little more substantial. PC Magazine, 5 June 2025 These shutdowns were previously announced, but a precise closing date was not announced until this week. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 June 2025 No human prompts are needed with agentic AI, and each agent can be set to target precise goals. Tom Dunlop, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for precise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precise
Adjective
  • Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
    Maryal Miller Carter, USA Today, 7 June 2025
  • Very few accurate transfer links to Leeds have emerged as of June 6.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • But, even if Netanyahu’s figures were correct, that would still be less than two hundred trucks per day—far below what humanitarian organizations have said that hungry Gazans need.
    Mosab Abu Toha, New Yorker, 12 June 2025
  • The second uses a tuning algorithm to adapt to changing environmental inputs and correct deviations in real-time.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • The exact fixtures incorporated into this will be confirmed later this summer, after the 2025/26 WSL fixtures have been released.
    Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • An exact premiere date has not yet been set, but CIA will air Mondays at 10 pm, leading out of the FBI mothership.
    Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • The film also stars Yul Vazquez, Ashlie Atkinson and Spencer Watson. Co-written by Greengrass and Brad Inglesby, The Lost Bus is inspired by true events featured in Lizzie Johnson’s 2021 book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 8 June 2025
  • Gödel showed that any system of axioms in mathematics permits the formulation of statements that can’t be shown to be true or false.
    Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • North American availability and pricing haven't been officially confirmed for this specific edition, but estimates based on potential importation suggest a possible starting point slightly over US $180,000.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 June 2025
  • None of the companies had any comment on specific deals.
    Allison Lampert, USA Today, 14 June 2025
Adjective
  • On a weekend in mid-May, a clandestine mathematical conclave convened.
    Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 6 June 2025
  • According to Brooke Nichols, an infectious disease mathematical modeler and health economist at Boston University, over 57,000 adults and 6,000 children have died as a result of the PEPFAR funding freeze and the discontinuation of global health programs.
    Jennifer Lotito, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • The parliamentarian is the chamber's adviser on its proper rules and procedures.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 June 2025
  • There could be a defense explaining it and somehow providing the proper framework for understanding it.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Blending contemporary luxury with rustic Tuscan charm, the property features landscaped gardens, swimming pools with lazy river-flow current systems, tennis courts, and an on-site restaurant serving authentic Italian cuisine with fresh local ingredients.
    Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
  • Buyers can choose between two authentic paint colors reminiscent of the 1980s: Agave Green Solid and Colorado Beige Solid.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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