correct

[ kuh-rekt ]

/ kəˈrɛkt /

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See synonyms for: correct / corrected / correcting / corrects on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to set or make true, accurate, or right; remove the errors or faults from: The native guide corrected our pronunciation. The new glasses corrected his eyesight.

to point out or mark the errors in: The teacher corrected the examination papers.

to scold, rebuke, or punish in order to improve: Should parents correct their children in public?

to counteract the operation or effect of (something hurtful or undesirable): The medication will correct stomach acidity.

Mathematics, Physics. to alter or adjust so as to bring into accordance with a standard or with a required condition.

verb (used without object)

to make a correction or corrections.

(of stock prices) to reverse a trend, especially temporarily, as after a sharp advance or decline in previous trading sessions.

adjective

conforming to fact or truth; free from error; accurate: a correct answer.

in accordance with an acknowledged or accepted standard; proper: correct behavior.

(of a judgment or opinion) just or right: I feel this decision is correct because of the defendant’s age.

characterized by or adhering to a liberal or progressive ideology on matters of ethnicity, religion, sexuality, ecology, etc.: Is it environmentally correct to buy a real Christmas tree?Most of the judges in this district have correct political views.

OTHER WORDS FOR correct

1 rectify, amend, emend, reform, remedy.

3 warn, chasten, castigate.

8 faultless, perfect, exact.

See synonyms for correct on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of correct

First recorded in 1300–50; (verb) Middle English correcten, from Anglo-French correcter, from Latin corrēctus (past participle of corrigere “to make straight, set right”) equivalent to cor- cor- + reg- (stem of regere “to keep straight, make straight, guide” ( see direct) + -tus past participle suffix; (adjective) from French correct, from Latin, as above

synonym study for correct

3. See punish. 8. Correct, accurate, precise imply conformity to fact, standard, or truth. A correct statement is one free from error, mistakes, or faults. An accurate statement is one that shows careful conformity to fact, truth, or spirit. A precise statement shows scrupulously strict and detailed conformity to fact.

OTHER WORDS FROM correct

cor·rect·a·ble, cor·rect·i·ble, adjectivecor·rect·a·bil·i·ty, cor·rect·i·bil·i·ty, nouncor·rect·ly, adverbcor·rect·ness, noun

cor·rec·tor, nounre·cor·rect, verb (used with object)un·cor·rect·ed, adjectivewell-cor·rect·ed, adjective

Words nearby correct

corr., corrade, corral, corrasion, correa, correct, correcting plate, correction, correctional, correctional facility, correctional officer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use correct in a sentence

Submit a correct answer for either,2 and you may get a shoutout in the next column.
Can You Cross Like A Boss?|Zach Wissner-Gross|February 12, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
The auto-correct on your cell phone or Gmail compose box are a perfect example of machine learning technology.
Five ways to use machine learning in digital marketing|Birbahadur Kathayat|February 12, 2021|Search Engine Watch
Whether the video is exclusively obtained from a source or stumbled upon via social media, it’s imperative to take the right steps to ensure the video is unaltered and presented in the correct context.
Introducing #DIYFactCheck, a project from The Fact Checker|Nadine Ajaka, Elyse Samuels, Sarah Cahlan|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
If it knows the name of all other toys, the dog might pick the correct toy because it guesses the unfamiliar word must indicate the unfamiliar toy.
Is your dog actually smart? Depends on its memory.|By Jan Hoole/The Conversation|February 8, 2021|Popular-Science

They have urged users to update their hardware and software to avoid security issues that the patches can easily correct.
You should update your iPhone and Chrome browser ASAP|Stan Horaczek|February 8, 2021|Popular-Science
Because of the thinness of the air, there is a very tight margin between the correct and incorrect airspeeds, as little as 50 mph.
Did Bad Weather Bring Down AirAsia 8501?|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Conservatives get nowhere by demanding “deregulation,” because liberals are correct that most Americans want clean water.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Senate report provides ample evidence of many problems to correct.
Why Did We Panic After 9/11 and Ignore All We Knew About Responding to Security Threats?|Deborah Pearlstein|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Breitbart forced her to correct a small part of her story, but witch hunts like these will leave every victim cowering.
The Right's Rape Trolls vs. Lena Dunham|Emily Shire|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, she knew the correct answer 92 percent of the time she buzzed in during her 20-game streak.
Jeopardy! Champion Julia Collins’s Brain Feels Like Mush|Sujay Kumar|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For telegrams the spelling does n't matter; the people at the office correct it—or if they don't you can put it off on them.
Confidence|Henry James
I was perfectly amazed to see how many little ugly habits I had to correct of which I had not been the least aware.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
That was by no means what Garnache had implied; still, since it really expressed his mind, he did not trouble to correct Marius.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
With children of finer perception the transition to a correct profile view may be carried much further.
Children's Ways|James Sully
In 1881 the appearance of the figures was improved by their being painted in correct colours.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell

British Dictionary definitions for correct

correct

/ (kəˈrɛkt) /

verb (tr)

to make free from errors

to indicate the errors in

to rebuke or punish in order to set right or improveto correct a child; to stand corrected

to counteract or rectify (a malfunction, ailment, etc)these glasses will correct your sight

to adjust or make conform, esp to a standard

adjective

free from error; true; accuratethe correct version

in conformity with accepted standardscorrect behaviour

Derived forms of correct

correctable or correctible, adjectivecorrectly, adverbcorrectness, nouncorrector, noun

Word Origin for correct

C14: from Latin corrigere to make straight, put in order, from com- (intensive) + regere to rule

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with correct

correct

see stand corrected.

correct

OTHER WORDS FOR correct

Origin of correct

synonym study for correct

OTHER WORDS FROM correct

Words nearby correct

Words related to correct

How to use correct in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for correct

Derived forms of correct

Word Origin for correct

Other Idioms and Phrases with correct