inaccurate
Americanadjective
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
- inaccurately adverb
- inaccurateness noun
Etymology
Origin of inaccurate
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.
That case, the company said, “related to an engineer following inaccurate advice that an AI tool inferred from an outdated internal wiki,” and none involved “AI-written code.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
He wants to see proof that the DOJ was given inaccurate information by ICE before he lets its lawyers off the hook.
From Slate • Mar. 27, 2026
Customs and Border Protection previously told ProPublica the family’s account was inaccurate but declined to provide specifics.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
Dr Alice Carter, from UEA, said 52% of ADHD-related videos and 41% of autism videos on TikTok were inaccurate, something TikTok disputed.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
Of course, to talk about the negative sections and aspects of Baltimore without talking about its strengths, its history, and its opportunities would be inaccurate.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
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.
