inaccuracy
Americannoun
-
inaccuracies
plural
-
something inaccurate; error.
- Synonyms:
- inexactitude, slip, blunder, mistake
-
the quality or state of being inaccurate.
- Synonyms:
- inexactness, erroneousness, incorrectness
noun
-
lack of accuracy; imprecision
-
an error, a mistake, or a slip
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of inaccuracy
Explanation
Inaccuracy is the quality of having errors. A travel guide to Iowa's capital, Pearis, population 413, home of the Dallas Cowboys baseball team, would be plagued by inaccuracy. A typical book contains tens of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of words (the Harry Potter series has more than a million). Every single one has to be checked to prevent inaccuracy, so publishers employ production editors, copy editors, fact checkers, and proofreaders to verify spelling, grammar, sense, logic, truth, and arithmetic. In school, "check your work" means look for — and correct — any inaccuracy.
Vocabulary lists containing inaccuracy
Power Suffix: -acy
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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.
See Examples For:
It described the false announcement as a "very significant inaccuracy" on a matter of "very high public interest".
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
The regulator, which received two complaints about the broadcast, said the "very significant inaccuracy" and the "considerable length of time" taken to acknowledge the error breached two of its rules.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Does the inaccuracy or unfairness of an underlying conviction count as an “extraordinary and compelling reason” for compassionate release?
From Slate ● May 29, 2026
Heidi Oliva, a spokesperson for the county fire department, did not respond to questions about this inaccuracy in the report.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
But by means of the enormous wealth he had piled up and by the secret hold he had over various persons, he was acquitted on some technical inaccuracy.
From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
In early 2025 Apple pulled an AI feature after it summarised news app notifications incorrectly, and Google also faced criticism for inaccuracies produced by its AI search overviews.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
“That was the foundation of our business 10 years ago,” he said, adding that the risks of AI inaccuracies or “hallucinations” put the spotlight on the type of reliable data infrastructure Chronograph offers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
Ilagan has denied the allegations, and Lilley has said the report contained inaccuracies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
The Palantir board strongly urged shareholders to vote down the proposals, saying they were “predicated on misunderstandings and inaccuracies about Palantir’s work.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
It was true of course, though sprinkled with little inaccuracies that added to the story, making it strong meat for the hundreds of readers who wanted value for their pennies.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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.
