1
as in careful
hard to please
he was shocked when his normally exacting supervisor complimented him on a job well done
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rigorous
not allowing for any exceptions or loosening of standards
the prep school's exacting standards for admission
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
the new recruits had to adjust themselves to the exacting discipline of military life
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4
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
writing will always be an exacting task
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in demanding
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority
every war inevitably exacts the greatest sacrifice possible from some of the nation's best and brightest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imposing
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
vowed to exact a heavy fine from any hockey player engaging in such outrageous behavior on the ice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in extorting
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats
that loan shark can be counted upon to exact repayment of his loan by whatever means necessary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of exacting
Rory Smith, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025
By his fourth season, the team had a losing record and players were complaining that Bradley was too exacting.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Jaime Catmull, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Playing, winning, is exacting its toll in the form of pain.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacting
Adjective
Alexander-Arnold is not unique in being held to a different, more exacting standard than the vast majority.
—Rory Smith, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025
By his fourth season, the team had a losing record and players were complaining that Bradley was too exacting.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
The dual pressures of addiction and burnout are exacting a steep toll on America’s entrepreneurs and executives.
—Jaime Catmull, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Playing, winning, is exacting its toll in the form of pain.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacting
Adjective
-
Be careful not to let in too much moisture to avoid any mildew or mold developing on your mattress.—
Terry Baddoo,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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Yet Schlossberg is careful to note that May did not shadow-direct the movie during production.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products.—
Keagan Ostop,
CNBC,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Although seeking refugee protection might come to mind, qualifying for refugee protection involves a complex, rigorous process that involves meeting a multi-pronged legal test.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The task for Denver tonight will be that much more difficult if Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) is unavailable or limited.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite a challenging period for many luxury labels, in October, reports indicated LOEWE’s sales had increased 27.5% YoY. In March, long-time Creative Director Jonathan Anderson left the label, and Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez were appointed.—
Seth Matlins,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Deriving the mesoscopic from the microscopic, on the other hand, has been much more mathematically challenging.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Everest's unpredictable weather and difficult breathing conditions make this one of the most physically and mentally demanding climbs in the world.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
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Israel is demanding the release of all the remaining hostages, living and dead, with stages of a ceasefire in between releases, according to the ministry.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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It could be argued that imposing retaliatory tariffs on electricity exports might encourage American states to seek more cost-effective energy alternatives, particularly those based on fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas.—
Ali Hoss,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
-
These executive orders have addressed a broad range of policy areas, including imposing tariffs that has escalated trade tensions and provoked retaliatory measures from foreign governments.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In his reply to Gordon-Levitt, Shatner also explained why that particular date was chosen in the first place.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Disclosure records show the company also lobbied this year about tariffs on the Hill, but the documents don’t provide detail about which policies in particular, and the company did not respond to questions from ProPublica.—
Robert Faturechi,
ProPublica,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Augusta National Golf Club, where the tournament takes place each April, has a strict no cell phone and cameras rule during the four days of official competition.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
18 Apr. 2025
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So Read, a 56-year-old sexologist and writer based in Calgary, Canada, developed a strict sleep and bedtime routine.—
Erica Sweeney,
SELF,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exacting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacting. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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