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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 The music is delicate, mournful, and precise, each track suspended in the air like a held breath. Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 19 June 2025 Badminton is a game that requires quick footwork, fast reactions, and precise hand-eye coordination. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025 There’s too much care in the series, from its gorgeously warm natural lighting to its precise editing, for any of this to feel slapdash. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 19 June 2025 The portrait Crews draws of life there is at once dreamlike and implausibly precise. Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for precise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precise
Adjective
  • Bottom line: Even when data show that generative AI is more accurate, patients still want to talk with a human when facing complex or life-threatening decisions.
    Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • But even if Trump’s characterization turns out to be accurate, the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities may not mean the end of the Iranian nuclear threat.
    Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Sign into your Spectrum account to find the correct mailing address for your area.
    Kara McGinley, USA Today, 24 June 2025
  • American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases.
    Ryley Amond, CNBC, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • That raises real concerns about whether SGA and Co. can make the right plays against Indiana's defensive pressure in Game 7. Ironically, many expected this exact issue -- pressure defense forcing turnovers and leading to easy offense the other way -- to play a huge role in these Finals.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
  • Although the exact count of undocumented immigrants in the city is not known, a 2020 study by University of Southern California Dornsife, estimated about 900,000 people in Los Angeles were undocumented and that most had been in the United States for 10 years or more.
    Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Beyond all of the twists and many, many, many turns that kept viewers tuned in every Tuesday night, the core of the show was about true female friendship and the loyalty that comes with that, no matter what.
    Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
  • This milieu is both true to history and solves one of the series’ longstanding structural flaws.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • Many are created in order to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair).
    Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 26 June 2025
  • By pinpointing specific areas where AI can make a quick impact, like root cause analysis, predictive maintenance or knowledge management, the value can be immediate while keeping the enterprise rollout manageable.
    Andreas Eschbach, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • For this reason, when describing the chirality of massive particles, physicists often refer to the mathematical description of the particle’s quantum properties.
    Zack Savitsky, Wired News, 22 June 2025
  • The piece is sweeping and exploratory, but with a persistent mathematical undercurrent—qualities that should maybe be oxymoronic working in tandem.
    Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • The potential disasters of treating art like traditional investments far outweigh the cost of proper planning.
    Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Eggs themselves are not a source of collagen—but the egg white specifically contains proline and glycine, two essential amino acids for proper collagen production.
    Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • The journeys, known as Original Voyages, have numerous and varied shore excursions allowing travelers a chance to explore authentic Norway at a relaxed pace, with flexible itineraries and approachable pricing.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 26 June 2025
  • The authentic arcade controls are durable and comfortable for intense sessions.
    Simon Hill, Wired News, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Precise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precise. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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