exact 1 of 2

1
2
as in precise
being neither more nor less than a certain amount, number, or extent the exact number of passengers on that airplane was 147

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5

exact

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to demand
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority every war inevitably exacts the greatest sacrifice possible from some of the nation's best and brightest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to extort
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 is the word exact different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of exact are accurate, correct, nice, precise, and right. While all these words mean "conforming to fact, standard, or truth," exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth.

exact measurements

In what contexts can accurate take the place of exact?

The synonyms accurate and exact are sometimes interchangeable, but accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care.

an accurate description

When could correct be used to replace exact?

In some situations, the words correct and exact are roughly equivalent. However, correct usually implies freedom from fault or error.

correct answers
socially correct dress

When would nice be a good substitute for exact?

The words nice and exact can be used in similar contexts, but nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination.

makes nice distinctions

How do precise and exact relate to one another?

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

precise calibration

How are the words right and correct related as synonyms of exact?

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 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 exact
Adjective
An exact premiere date will be announced at a later date. Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025 There was no exact date for the release given and no price point. Sari Hitchins, Parents, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
The same exacting ideas about timbre and orchestration, and Mozartean precision, that influenced Weill in the 1920s could even be heard in the later, wildly different works of Morton Feldman. Joshua Barone, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024 The settlement was a result of a long-running antitrust case in which the two credit card network giants allegedly overcharged merchants by exacting excessive interchange fees, also called swipe fees. Bill Hardekopf, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for exact 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exact
Adjective
  • If the bookmakers are correct, Makhachev will end 2025 with the UFC title in his hands.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • His administration's efforts to characterize inflation as 'temporary' or 'transitory' in 2021 may have been technically correct, in the sense that the rate of inflation has come down from its heights following the pandemic.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The precise cash amount of this week’s arrangement has not been made public.
    Martin Rogers, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The manufacturing process of the DMA range begins with taking precise silicone ear impressions of the customer’s ears.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Still, Republicans have said that even if that call was accurate, the C.I.A. failed in understanding other key events: how quickly the Afghan government could collapse, how Bashar al-Assad would flee Syria and how Hamas was preparing to attack Israel.
    Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
  • While some might have considered the project too niche, Kyle’s intuition about the product’s appeal seems to have been accurate, with even the X Games getting a taste of the product earlier this year.
    Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But planet-scale warming is probably affecting weather basically every day, even if the impacts are subtle.
    Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Cacio e pepe, with its Parmesan and black pepper, is more subtle.
    Lauryn Azu, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • These mathematical solutions are designed to be used to replace today’s public-key encryption.
    John Prisco, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Near her face is d/dx, the mathematical symbol for taking a derivative.
    Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Cultivate work-life balance Senior professionals often face the challenge of managing demanding roles alongside personal commitments.
    Andrew Fennell, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Ford is seeking an unspecified amount in damages and demands a jury trial with her lawsuit.
    Julia Marnin, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Boston City Council plans to discuss the possibility of imposing a new local tax on sodas and other sugary drinks.
    Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 16 Jan. 2025
  • He was held in contempt last week in the New York case for failing to turn over assets to Freeman and Moss, though U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman has not yet imposed any sanctions on Giuliani for contempt.
    Alison Durkee, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Peekskill Central School District in New York is warning families of a disturbing new scam in which criminals use generative artificial intelligence to mimic children’s voices in an attempt to extort money from unsuspecting parents.
    Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
  • Tacopina said the allegations were an attempt to extort money from A$AP Rocky.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025

Podcast

Thesaurus Entries Near exact

Cite this Entry

“Exact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exact. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on exact

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!