inexact

I1N1E1X8A1C3T1

adjective

Imperfectly conforming; exceeding or falling short in some respect.

Similar
imperfectimpreciselooseapproximateapproximativeroughfreeliberal
Opposite
exactperfectprecisestrict
OriginFrench inexact →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

adjectiveinexact (comparative more inexact, superlative most inexact)

comparative more inexact · superlative most inexact

  1. Imperfectly conforming; exceeding or falling short in some respect.

    Synonyms: imperfect, imprecise

  2. Imprecisely or indefinitely conceived or stated.

    At the same time, we were cognisant that careful scholars should never solely rely on their own impressionistic observations, and, that our own impressions were inexact and not capable of being quantified.

    2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 7

    Synonyms: loose

  3. natural scienceshaving a path-dependent integral

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveImperfectly conforming; exceeding or falling short in some respect.

Similar
imperfectimprecise

adjectiveImprecisely or indefinitely conceived or stated.

Similar
loose

antonym(s) of “precisely agreeing”

Opposite
exactperfectprecise

antonym(s) of “precisely or definitely conceived or stated”

Opposite
strict

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivenot exact

Similar
approximateapproximativeroughfreelooseliberaloddround
Opposite
exact
Also see
approximateapproximativefreeimpreciseliberallooseoddroughround

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchinexact
  2. Englishinexact

From French inexact.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian неточен
  • неточен (netočen)imperfectly conforming
Catalan inexacte
  • inexacteimperfectly conforming
Hungarian pontatlan
  • pontatlanimperfectly conforming
Russian неподходя́щий, нето́чный
  • неподходя́щий (nepodxodjáščij)imperfectly conforming
  • нето́чный (netóčnyj)imprecisely or indefinitely conceived or stated
  • двусмы́сленный (dvusmýslennyj)imprecisely or indefinitely conceived or stated
Spanish inexacto
  • inexactoimperfectly conforming
Swedish oexakt, oprecis
  • oexaktimprecisely or indefinitely conceived or stated
  • oprecisimprecisely or indefinitely conceived or stated
Tagalog disingkad, disingkad
  • disingkadimperfectly conforming
  • disingkadimprecisely or indefinitely conceived or stated
  • disingkadhaving a path-dependent integral

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Texican
Cite this entry
APA

inexact. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inexact

MLA

“inexact.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inexact. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inexact,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inexact.

Source: inexact on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.