inaccurate

American  

[in-ak-yer-it] / ɪnˈæk jər ɪt /

adjective

1. not accurate; incorrect or untrue.

   Synonyms:

   faulty, wrong, erroneous, loose, inexact

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inaccurate British  

/ ɪnˈækjʊrɪt /

adjective

1. not accurate; imprecise, inexact, or erroneous

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Usage

What does inaccurate mean? Inaccurate describes something that is incorrect, false, or not quite right, as in I came home at 9:30 last night, so saying I was out all night is inaccurate. Inaccurate is the opposite of accurate, which describes something being free of defects or errors. You might describe a scale is inaccurate if it doesn’t show the precise weight of something. Inaccurate can also describe something that is wrong or untrue. You could claim that the lie your brother told about you is inaccurate, especially if there’s a bit of truth in what he said but overall it’s wrong. Example: The results of the test were inaccurate, but they can be used to improve the next one.

Other Word Forms

• inaccurateness
  noun
• inaccurately
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of inaccurate

First recorded in 1730–40; in- ³ + accurate

Explanation

If what you tell me is not exactly right, it is inaccurate. If you measured the amount of rainfall incorrectly, your data about the climate would be inaccurate. Accuracy means being very precise and getting the information right. When something is inaccurate, it is the opposite of exact. If you get a question wrong on a test, your teacher will not say, "You, sir, are inaccurate," she'll just say you are wrong. She might also explain that your inaccurate methodology led to an inaccurate response.

Related Words

• defective
• false
• faulty
• imprecise
• incorrect
• mistaken
• unreliable
• untrue
• wrong