not exactly
idiom
informal
1
—used in speech as a mild way of saying "no" especially to indicate that what someone has said is not completely correct or true
"He's your boss, isn't he?" "Not exactly."
"Did everything go the way you planned it?" "Not exactly."
2
—used as a humorous or ironic way to say "not"
He's not exactly the smartest guy I've ever met.
Examples of not exactly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That did not happen, not exactly, but the neglect was real.
—
Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
This is not exactly irrational on the part of patients.
—Jared Rhoads, STAT, 10 Feb. 2026
It's always been a classic but not exactly a statement maker.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
McCaffrey, too, was admittedly nervous, but that is not exactly a new feeling for him.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
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Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
This is not exactly irrational on the part of patients.
—Jared Rhoads, STAT, 10 Feb. 2026
It's always been a classic but not exactly a statement maker.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
McCaffrey, too, was admittedly nervous, but that is not exactly a new feeling for him.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
Cite this Entry
“Not exactly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20exactly. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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