inaccurate
Americanadjective
adjective
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
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of inaccurate
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.
Vocabulary lists containing inaccurate
Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"
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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 1
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Common Core Grade 6, List 1
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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.
This prevailing narrative is not only inaccurate, but its consequences are devastating.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
United States, that prisoners cannot seek compassionate release under the 2018 statute intended to allow exactly that relief, even if they show that their original convictions were inaccurate or unfairly decided.
From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026
For starters, AI can make mistakes in the data-scraping stage and may give inaccurate salary-range results, so users should also double-check that information.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
Workers who trust AI too much may accept inaccurate information without questioning it, while employees who distrust the technology completely may overlook its potential advantages.
From Science Daily • May 25, 2026
This accurate description somehow got mistranslated as ‘tube’, but modern medicine seems to be stuck with the inaccurate version of the term.’
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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.
