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
But beyond lodging, the analyst noted that investors are not exactly pricing in Airbnb’s new products, such as experiences.
—
Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
Looked at in one way, the corporate office is not exactly a paradigm of usefulness.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Although many fans were thrilled by receiving answers from the coy artist, many also joked about how the admission was not exactly a surprise.
—Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 26 Feb. 2025
The first-round picks are not exactly three first-round picks.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
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Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
Looked at in one way, the corporate office is not exactly a paradigm of usefulness.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Although many fans were thrilled by receiving answers from the coy artist, many also joked about how the admission was not exactly a surprise.
—Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 26 Feb. 2025
The first-round picks are not exactly three first-round picks.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
Cite this Entry
“Not exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20exactly. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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