not exactly
idiom
informal
1
—used in speech as a mild way of saying "no" especially to indicate that what someone has said is not completely correct or true
"He's your boss, isn't he?" "Not exactly."
"Did everything go the way you planned it?" "Not exactly."
2
—used as a humorous or ironic way to say "not"
He's not exactly the smartest guy I've ever met.
Examples of not exactly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In short, the timing rules under Section 1033 are tricky, and not exactly intuitive.
—
Robert W. Wood, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Known for decades as FedEx Field, the stadium developed a reputation as hard to get to, hard to leave thanks to crushing traffic, expensive and not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 18 Jan. 2025
Trump prevailed—and not exactly in a squeaker, either.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The simulcast business, like the radio biz, is not exactly robust.
—Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for not exactly 
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Robert W. Wood, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Known for decades as FedEx Field, the stadium developed a reputation as hard to get to, hard to leave thanks to crushing traffic, expensive and not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 18 Jan. 2025
Trump prevailed—and not exactly in a squeaker, either.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The simulcast business, like the radio biz, is not exactly robust.
—Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for not exactly
Dictionary Entries Near not exactly
Cite this Entry
“Not exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20exactly. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
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