adjective
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faithfully representing or describing the truth
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showing a negligible or permissible deviation from a standard
an accurate ruler
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without error; precise; meticulous
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maths
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(to n significant digits) representing the first n digits of the given number starting with the first nonzero digit, but approximating to the nearest digit in the final position
since π = 3.14159…, the approximation 3.1416 is accurate to 5 significant digits.
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(to n decimal places) giving the first n digits after the decimal point without further approximation
π = 3.1415 is in this sense accurate to 4 decimal places
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Related Words
See correct.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of accurate
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin accūrātus “carefully prepared” (past participle of accūrāre ), equivalent to ac- ac- + cūr(a) “care” + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
Something that is accurate is exact and true. It's important to be accurate in the kitchen with your measurements and in the courtroom with your testimony. The adjective accurate comes from the Latin roots ad curare, meaning "to take care," and that is precisely what you do when you make sure something is accurate. You take care to make sure it is perfectly correct: an accurate answer, an accurate headcount, an accurate assessment of the problem. By adding the Latin root in, meaning not, you can make the antonym inaccurate (not accurate).
Vocabulary lists containing accurate
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 1-10
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Academic Vocabulary: Core Tier 2 Words, List 1
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List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But given the potential health risks, it’s only fair that the information shared by government officials about the carnivore diet — or any dietary pattern for that matter — is accurate and evidence-based.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
The conducting in “Amadeus” is not historically accurate to the 18th century because the big performance scenes were so emotionally essential to the narrative.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Others familiar with the conversation said that the Welsh government's briefing was broadly accurate.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
They also suggest that combining speech analysis with other health measures could make early detection of cognitive decline more accurate, practical, and widely available.
From Science Daily • May 13, 2026
With that information, longitude is within reach—assuming accurate clocks.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
