exact

1 of 2

verb

ex·​act ig-ˈzakt 

exacted; exacting; exacts

transitive verb

1

: to call for forcibly or urgently and obtain

from them has been exacted the ultimate sacrifice

—D. D. Eisenhower

2

: to call for as necessary or desirable

exactable

ig-ˈzak-tə-bəl 

adjective

exactor noun

or less commonly exacter

ig-ˈzak-tər 

exact

2 of 2

adjective

1

: exhibiting or marked by strict, particular, and complete accordance with fact or a standard

2

: marked by thorough consideration or minute measurement of small factual details

exactness

ig-ˈzak(t)-nəs 

noun

Did you know?

To exact something is to not only demand it, but also obtain it. The most common things exacted—revenge, retribution, and that ilk—often require physical force, but other things exacted—such as penalties and prices, promises and concessions—can be obtained with gentler forms of persuasion. The variation is present in the word’s Latin ancestor too: exigere means “to drive out; to demand; and to measure.” Do not confuse the verb exact with the more common verb extract. Extract is primarily about removing something, and need not involve a demand: a dentist extracts a tooth from (we hope) a willing patient, and extracting juice from an orange carries no connotation of insistence. Note, though, that there are cases in which either verb can be used: confessions, for example, are sometimes said to be exacted or extracted, with both typically implying significant effort by the one obtaining the confession.

Synonyms

Verb

• call (for)
• claim
• clamor (for)
• command
• demand
• enjoin
• insist (on)
• press (for)
• quest
• stipulate (for)

Adjective

• accurate
• bang on [chiefly British]
• correct
• dead-on
• good
• on-target
• precise
• proper
• right
• so
• spot-on
• true
• veracious

Choose the Right Synonym for exact

Verb

demand, claim, require, exact mean to ask or call for something as due or as necessary.

demand implies peremptoriness and insistence and often the right to make requests that are to be regarded as commands.

demanded payment of the debt

claim implies a demand for the delivery or concession of something due as one's own or one's right.

claimed the right to manage his own affairs

require suggests the imperativeness that arises from inner necessity, compulsion of law or regulation, or the exigencies of the situation.

the patient requires constant attention

exact implies not only demanding but getting what one demands.

exacts absolute loyalty

Adjective

correct, accurate, exact, precise, nice, right mean conforming to fact, standard, or truth.

correct usually implies freedom from fault or error.

correct answers

socially correct dress

accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care.

an accurate description

exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth.

exact measurements

precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation.

precise calibration

nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination.

makes nice distinctions

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

Examples of exact in a Sentence

Verb

They would not rest until they had exacted revenge.

He was able to exact a promise from them.

Adjective

Those were his exact words.

The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

We don't know the exact nature of the problem.

Predicting the path of hurricanes is not an exact science.

The police have an exact description of the killer.

Please take the most exact measurements possible.

He is very exact in the way he solves a problem.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The inspectors tested hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, which accounts for 70% of a property’s rating. —Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Fielder showed an exacting sense of how grotesquely unreal reality shows could get, as well as a deep awareness of how the sausage gets made. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025

Adjective

Happening to pass down the street at the exact moment Lily is emerging from Peel’s store, Steve immediately intuits what has happened. —Vivian Gornick, The Atlantic, 3 May 2025

Shop her exact pair right now at Nordstrom for under $100. —Ali Faccenda, People.com, 2 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English exacten "to require as payment," borrowed from Latin exāctus, past participle of exigere "to drive out, achieve, enforce payment of or the performance of (a task), require, inquire into, examine" from ex- ex- entry 1 + agere "to drive (cattle), be in motion, do, perform" — more at agent

Adjective

borrowed from Latin exāctus, from past participle of exigere "to drive out, achieve, require, inquire into, examine, measure" — more at exact entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1564, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing exact

• exact differential
• exact opposite
• exact same
• exact science
• same exact
• to be exact

Rhymes for exact

• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract
• detract
• distract
• enact
• extract
• hijacked
• impact
• intact

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Kids Definition

exact

1 of 2 verb

ex·​act ig-ˈzakt 

1

: to demand and get by force or threat

exact burdensome concessions

2

: to call for as necessary or desirable

exact a high price

exaction

-ˈzak-shən

noun

exact

2 of 2 adjective

1

: fully and completely in agreement with fact, a standard, or an original

the exact time

an exact rhyme

an exact replica

2

: providing great accuracy

exact instruments

exactness

-ˈzak(t)-nəs

noun