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Definition of correctnext
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correct

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word correct different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of correct are accurate, exact, nice, precise, and right. While all these words mean "conforming to fact, standard, or truth," correct usually implies freedom from fault or error.

correct answers
socially correct dress

When could accurate be used to replace correct?

The synonyms accurate and correct are sometimes interchangeable, but accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care.

an accurate description

When can exact be used instead of correct?

The words exact and correct are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth.

exact measurements

Where would nice be a reasonable alternative to correct?

While in some cases nearly identical to correct, nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination.

makes nice distinctions

How do precise and exact relate to one another, in the sense of correct?

Precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation.

precise calibration

How are the words right and correct related?

Right is close to correct but has a stronger positive emphasis on conformity to fact or truth rather than mere absence of error or fault.

the right thing to do

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of correct
Adjective
Most restaurants correct violations at the time of the original inspection or shortly after. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026 Taking care to place items in their correct storage spots immediately helps maintain calm throughout the day for everyone. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
This story has been updated to correct a misspelling and include new information. Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Feb. 2026 Legislators across both chambers have introduced bills to reverse and correct other policies enacted through last year’s BRFA. J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for correct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for correct
Adjective
  • Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
    Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Federal data is fluid and frequently subject to change as more detailed and accurate information becomes available.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Hunting groups say this is an overestimation of deer numbers, and that the organization has never had a proper management plan.
    Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Darn Tough Hiker Merino Wool Crew Socks Whether hot or cold, the proper cushioned sock can help regulate temperature in shoes and keep your feet extra comfortable.
    Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Ailsa Craig granite is so well-suited for curling that the Olympics have never used any other kind of granite in formal competition.
    Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Meanwhile, an Ohio State committee is reviewing a second formal request to remove Wexner’s name from multiple campus buildings, including the football team’s practice facility.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The appeals court sent the case back to the lower court to amend the 2024 ruling.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Mexico has amended its constitution to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes and vapes.
    Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Sanofi has been clear-eyed about the need to offset the patent expiry of its blockbuster asthma drug Dupixent, which currently accounts for more than a third of sales and will lose key patents by early 2030s.
    Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Carbon capture faces hurdles Extracting and using the CO2 significantly cuts ethanol's carbon footprint, based on a company model that identifies how much carbon is created — and offset — through its production process.
    Donnelle Eller, Des Moines Register, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But Einhorn said the stock was unfairly punished given the return of an old CEO, as well as an improving balance sheet.
    Sarah Min, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
  • What followed was not chaos, but something more deliberate—a narrowing of what could be said publicly, to punish those who spoke up, and to quietly erase stories that needed to be told.
    Adrianne Wright, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • That’s true, even though the odds of getting hurt during travel are generally higher when driving.
    Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Exercises like Aron’s 36 questions are designed to reveal the most interesting, truest things about a person, and self‑ disclosure, trust building, and mutual appreciation accelerate closeness.
    Big Think, Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • One year after Vice President JD Vance excoriated European leaders and accused them of sidelining far-right parties, Rubio’s politer tone came as a relief to many in the audience.
    J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Is there any polite response to a comment such as this one?
    Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Correct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/correct. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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