1
as in approximate
not precisely correct
a thousand is an inexact figure for the number of islands in the St. Lawrence River
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in erroneous
not being in agreement with what is true
an inexact and misleading statement regarding the number of combat casualties
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inexact
Developing quarterbacks in the NFL always has been an inexact science, with mixed results each season for almost every team.
—
D. Orlando Ledbetter, AJC.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Kikuchi and Imai are an inexact comparison.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
This way of peering at screen culture from an inexact distance, which also comes up in a scolding scene where Ethan scrolls aimlessly through something like TikTok, rankles in a play that is otherwise so precise about physical time and space.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
The movie devolves into something inexact and thoughtless, without anything distinct to recenter it.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inexact
D. Orlando Ledbetter, AJC.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Kikuchi and Imai are an inexact comparison.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
This way of peering at screen culture from an inexact distance, which also comes up in a scolding scene where Ethan scrolls aimlessly through something like TikTok, rankles in a play that is otherwise so precise about physical time and space.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
The movie devolves into something inexact and thoughtless, without anything distinct to recenter it.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inexact
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inexact
Adjective
-
That number is down from the approximate 50,000 who were evacuated over the weekend.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
-
All of this is scheduled to be achieved before the end of 2033, so the entire project has reached an approximate halfway point on the road to completion.—
Michael T. Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
That assumption is erroneous—and dangerous.—
David Capablanca,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Technology should be developed to track the same digital paths that erroneous content traveled, correcting the record along the way.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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In addition, the news organization insists its statements are true in the sense that, even if some details are inaccurate, the gist or overall summation of the reporting was right.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
2 June 2026
-
Doing so could result in inaccurate, misleading or incomplete outputs.—
Shekhar Iyer,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Flip-flops are widely believed to be a poor pick for arch support—but the Clarks Breeze Sea Sandals prove that notion incorrect.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
26 May 2026
-
In addition to the incorrect name and state, the apology poster’s profile photo bore no resemblance to Crosby’s actual ex-husband.—
James Lasdun,
New Yorker,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
Black and white, right and wrong, cut and dried.—
Erika Ettin,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
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The Angels brought a one-run lead into the seventh inning, and then just about everything went wrong in a seven-run inning that sent them to an 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
The previous name, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is imprecise and confusing to patients, families and physicians.—
Melanie Cree,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
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With all these features and a unique design that eliminates all the rattling and imprecise grips of conventional wrenches, this tool could find frequent use in your workshop.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inexact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inexact. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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