1 exacting | Definition of exacting

exacting

adjective
ex·​act·​ing | \ ig-ˈzak-tiƋ How to pronounce exacting (audio) \

Definition of exacting

1 : tryingly or unremittingly severe in making demands
2 : requiring careful attention and precision

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Other Words from exacting

exactingly \ ig-​ˈzak-​tiƋ-​lē How to pronounce exactingly (audio) \ adverb
exactingness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for exacting

onerous, burdensome, oppressive, exacting mean imposing hardship. onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful. the onerous task of cleaning up the mess burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain. burdensome responsibilities oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed. the oppressive tyranny of a police state exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding. an exacting employer

Examples of exacting in a Sentence

He has very exacting standards. he was shocked when his normally exacting supervisor complimented him on a job well done

Recent Examples on the Web

Its exacting, creepy visual style, coupled with outstanding performances (particularly from Toni Collette), signaled a strong new voice in horror. Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "Ari Aster on his new film Midsommar: “I keep telling people I want it to be confusing”," 2 July 2019 The owner, Fredrick Sennie, makes everything fresh, to his exacting standards, in the compact kitchen. Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, "Four Hours: Celebrating African American culture in Leimert Park," 23 Aug. 2019 An almost-mystical particularity can result from the accumulation of exacting and unexpected details. Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, "Eric Carle Museum explores the enchanted world of children’s book master Peter SĂ­s," 22 Aug. 2019 Instead, Corellium has simply copied everything: the code, the graphical user interface, the icons—all of it, in exacting detail. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, "Apple sues company that sells “perfect replicas” of iOS without a license," 16 Aug. 2019 Celeste no longer has to keep her house decorated and cleaned to Perry’s exacting standards. Jessica Roy, latimes.com, "For ‘Big Little Lies’ fans, the aesthetic is as much of a draw as the drama," 15 Mar. 2017 After his most impressive victories, Saban won’t hesitate to list the errors his team made and describe them in exacting detail, seemingly ignoring the fact the Crimson Tide just achieved an overwhelmingly positive result. Rainer Sabin | [email protected], al.com, "Will Nick Saban rein in Tua Tagovailoa this season?," 23 July 2019 Tarantino also fully re-creates late ’60s Hollywood in exacting detail. Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, "Quentin Tarantino juggles glamour and gore in the compelling ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’," 23 July 2019 Their exacting culinary methods cultivated an aura around the food. Suyin Haynes, Time, "Fights Over 'Authentic' Chinese Food Have a Long and Complicated History. Now They're Tearing the Culinary World Apart," 8 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exacting.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of exacting

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for exacting

from present participle of exact entry 1

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More Definitions for exacting

exacting

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of exacting

: requiring much time, attention, or effort from someone : very difficult or demanding

exacting

adjective
ex·​act·​ing | \ ig-ˈzak-tiƋ How to pronounce exacting (audio) \

Kids Definition of exacting

: expecting a lot from a person an exacting teacher

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More from Merriam-Webster on exacting

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with exacting

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for exacting

Spanish Central: Translation of exacting

Nglish: Translation of exacting for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of exacting for Arabic Speakers