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
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.
Overpayment notices can sometimes result from inaccurate or incomplete information.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026
The U.S. has cautioned that details of the deal published in Iranian state media are inaccurate and designed for domestic consumption.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
In the letter, she accuses the hospital of providing incomplete medical records, which she described as "strikingly unprofessional", adding that "one was inaccurate".
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
But the campaigners behind Thursday's report believe more is needed to ensure full transparency, calling in particular for a legally-binding lobby register that would punish companies and groups posting inaccurate data.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
All I knew about autopsies was what I had seen on reruns of “Quincy,” but somehow it never occurred to me that my information might be inaccurate because it came from a TV show.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
