Word
exacting
Phoneticsex·act·ing, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪɡˈzæktɪŋ/
UK/ɛɡzˈæktɪŋ/
Definition
v. demanding very high standards and being very strict about details. You use this to describe someone who does not accept anything less than perfect.
v. demanding very high standards or being very strict in the requirements for something. Often used to describe a person's character or the nature of a task.
Examples
“She is an exacting boss who never accepts poor work.”
“The construction project was delayed because the client was an exacting customer who wanted every detail checked twice.”
“The role requires an exacting attention to detail, as even the smallest error in the final report could lead to significant financial losses for the firm.”
Examples
simple
“She is an exacting boss who never accepts poor work.”
contextual
“The construction project was delayed because the client was an exacting customer who wanted every detail checked twice.”
complex
“The role requires an exacting attention to detail, as even the smallest error in the final report could lead to significant financial losses for the firm.”
Real-World Examples
“A lot of the reporting for this book began life in the New Yorker, and it is as methodical, exacting, well-written and exceptionally reported as you’d expect.” “They tore smartly into the start of Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements, an exacting work requiring pinpoint-precise playing, which it mostly received.” Etymology
From exact + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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