not exactly
phrase
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
Between the heat and humidity, Fourth of July is not exactly a gentle day for makeup.
—
Tanya Sharma,
InStyle,
4 July 2026
Well, not exactly — not yet, anyway — but a Zoom call is what the mayor was describing.
—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
4 July 2026
The watch converted into a diamond choker, its hands set to midnight, did not exactly discourage further investigation.
—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
2 July 2026
Now, to be fair, the individual was not exactly running a democracy.
—
David Crown,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
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Tanya Sharma,
InStyle,
4 July 2026
Well, not exactly — not yet, anyway — but a Zoom call is what the mayor was describing.
—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
4 July 2026
The watch converted into a diamond choker, its hands set to midnight, did not exactly discourage further investigation.
—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
2 July 2026
Now, to be fair, the individual was not exactly running a democracy.
—
David Crown,
Forbes.com,
2 July 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 5 Jul. 2026.
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