inexact

[ in-ig-zakt ]

/ ˌɪn ɪgˈzækt /

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See synonyms for: inexact / inexactness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not exact; not strictly precise or accurate.

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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.

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Origin of inexact

First recorded in 1820–30; in-³ + exact

OTHER WORDS FROM inexact

in·ex·act·ly, adverbin·ex·act·ness, noun

Words nearby inexact

inestimable, I never met a man I didn't like, in evidence, inevitable, inevitably, inexact, inexactitude, in excess of, in exchange, inexcusable, inexertion

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

How to use inexact in a sentence

Finding the exact threshold for gumbo weather is an inexact science, but my grandfather pegs it as colder than 50 degrees.
Not Even Gumbo Is Safe From Climate Change|Daniel Babin|March 1, 2022|FiveThirtyEight
They only tracked one week of spending, and I prorated their electricity and power costs, so this is still an inexact calculator.
We Analyzed the Emissions 4 Families Generated in a Week. Here's What We Learned About Living Greener|Alana Semuels|January 6, 2022|Time
Castillo or Swihart do not fit neatly into that inexact formula.
Nationals sign Blake Swihart to minor league deal with spring training invite|Jesse Dougherty|January 27, 2021|Washington Post
Danish officials crunching similar data slightly differently estimate that it is 36 percent more contagious in their country, although they say their numbers are still so small that the estimates may be inexact.
Denmark is sequencing all coronavirus samples and has an alarming view of the U.K. variant|Michael Birnbaum, Martin Selsoe Sorensen|January 22, 2021|Washington Post

It’s a complicated, inexact process that could be untangled by a few extra doses of transparency.
Jon Lester’s reasonable contract leaves the Nationals room to address their remaining needs|Jesse Dougherty|January 20, 2021|Washington Post
Given the nature of the crimes and the climate in which they were committed, the numbers themselves are inexact.
The Twisted History of the Noose|Kevin Canfield|August 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The recipe is inexact; a crazy mix of luck, audacity, and moxie.
Exclusive: A Photo Essay on the Making of ‘The Spectacular Now’|Michael H. Weber, Scott Neustadter|August 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The margin of error for the rather inexact dating process was 250 years.
Are These Beams from the First and Second Temples?|David Frum|May 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
This again is inexact, since there are no precise figures of population that cover the period.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
Now the intensity of a sound indicates its extent only by accident, and therefore in an inexact manner.
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 3|Plotinos (Plotinus)
All conclusions which we derive from visual acuteness become very inexact as soon as it is lowered.
Schweigger on Squint|C. Schweigger
This is only another instance of the singularly inexact and haphazard ways of the Admiralty in those days.
The Story of the "Britannia"|E. P. Statham
The conditions which the subtlety of Ming-shu imposed ceased to bind, for their corollary was inexact.
Kai Lung's Golden Hours|Ernest Bramah

British Dictionary definitions for inexact

inexact

/ (ˌɪnɪɡˈzækt) /

adjective

not exact or accurate

Derived forms of inexact

inexactitude or inexactness, nouninexactly, adverb

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

inexact

Origin of inexact

OTHER WORDS FROM inexact

Words nearby inexact

Words related to inexact

How to use inexact in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inexact

Derived forms of inexact