exact

exact — adjective

1. describes a measurement, amount, description, or copy that matches its real sour

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a measurement, amount, description, or copy that matches its real source in every single part, with no detail being different or guessed.

Example

Lauren measured the window space and gave the exact dimensions to the carpenter.

collocation: exact dimensions

The museum displayed an exact replica of the ancient statue, including every crack.

collocation: exact replica

Common collocations
  • exact time
  • exact location
  • exact words
  • exact opposite
  • exact copy
  • exact replica
  • exact amount
  • exact number
Synonyms
  • precise

    very close; exact suggests no difference at all, while precise can allow very small tolerance

  • accurate

    correct in general; exact stresses complete agreement with the source in every detail

  • identical

    the same in every way; used mainly for copies or objects being compared

Antonyms
  • approximate

    close but not completely correct in every detail

  • inexact

    containing errors or guesses

Usage Note

Frequently paired with nouns that refer to quantities, positions, or reproductions (amount, time, location, copy, words). The adverb exactly is much more common in spoken English.

Common Mistakes

Please tell me the exactly address.
Please tell me the exact address.
'exact' is an adjective; 'exactly' is an adverb and cannot modify a noun.
I need a exact measurement.
I need an exact measurement.
'exact' starts with a vowel sound, so the article is 'an'.

2. used to describe a method, instrument, or field of study that follows fixed rule

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe a method, instrument, or field of study that follows fixed rules and produces results clear enough to be measured or repeated without variation.

Example

Physics is an exact science because gravity pulls at the same rate every time.

collocation: exact science

The laboratory thermometer provided exact readings of the water temperature every minute.

Common collocations
  • exact science
  • exact measurement
  • exact calculation
  • exact procedure
  • exact method
Synonyms
  • precise

    usable in the same contexts but slightly less formal; 'precise instrument' is more common than 'exact instrument'

  • rigorous

    focuses on strictness of method rather than accuracy of results

Antonyms
  • inexact

    not following strict rules or producing consistent results

Usage Note

Common in the fixed phrase 'exact science', which is often used in negative or contrastive statements (e.g., 'marketing is not an exact science'). The noun being described is typically a method, field, or tool rather than a single object.

Common Mistakes

Teaching is an exact science.
Teaching is not an exact science; it depends on many human factors.
The phrase 'exact science' is most natural in negative or contrastive contexts.
This is an exact measurement tool.
This is a precise measurement tool.
'Exact' before a physical tool is less natural than 'precise'.

3. used when the meaning or nature of something could be understood in more than on

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

used when the meaning or nature of something could be understood in more than one way, and you want to say which interpretation is the correct or intended one.

Example

The exact meaning of the ancient poem has been debated by scholars for decades.

collocation: exact meaning

Linguists still disagree on the exact definition of the word 'consciousness'.

collocation: exact definition

Common collocations
  • exact meaning
  • exact definition
  • exact nature
  • exact terms
  • exact cause
Synonyms
  • specific

    more common in everyday talk; 'exact' carries more weight and formality

  • precise

    largely interchangeable in this sense, though 'precise meaning' is slightly less common than 'exact meaning'

Antonyms
  • vague

    not clearly expressed or defined

Usage Note

Often appears before abstract nouns (meaning, definition, nature, terms, cause) where there is genuine uncertainty or debate about what is true. The focus is on pinning down something that is not immediately obvious.

exact — verb

Word family

  • exactly
    adverbA2
  • exactness
    nounC1
  • exacting
    adjectiveC1
  • inexact
    adjectiveC1
  • inexactly
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe closeness to truth or a standard, but they differ in emphasis. 'Exact' stresses that something matches its source in every small detail, with zero difference (e.g., 'the exact time of the accident'). 'Precise' focuses on fine measurement or sharpness of detail, especially in numbers or descriptions, and it allows a tiny margin of error that 'exact' does not (e.g., 'precise laboratory readings'). 'Accurate' is the broadest term: it means free from mistakes but does not guarantee the level of fine detail that 'exact' implies (e.g., 'an accurate summary of the report'). 'Correct' is the simplest and most general, meaning in line with known facts or rules, with no focus on detail level (e.g., 'the correct answer'). In everyday speech, 'exact' is rarer than 'accurate' or 'correct' and sounds more formal and emphatic.

precise ↗accurate ↗correct ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • exact amount
  • exact time
  • exact location
  • exact words
  • exact nature
  • exact number
  • exact meaning
  • exact science

Adverbs

Phrases

  • to be exact
  • the exact opposite

Prepositions

  • to be exact

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'exact' came into English from French, but its root is the Latin verb 'exigere', which means 'to drive out, demand, weigh, or complete'. This word was formed by combining 'ex-' ('out') and 'agere' ('to drive or do'). The Latin past participle 'exactus' meant 'completed, weighed carefully, or precisely determined'. Over time, the idea of 'weighing carefully' led to the modern sense of 'completely correct and precise' that we use today, while the older sense of 'demanding payment or obedience' also survived in formal and literary English.