not exactly
idiom
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
As the great columnist Mike Royko pointed out at the time, Daley was not exactly on solid legal ground.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
There’s also da Etta in Trastevere, the historic neighborhood beloved for its artsy ambiance which, fair warning, is not exactly unknown to tourists.
—Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Lucas is not exactly thrilled with the proposition.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 May 2025
Nineteen is certainly a lot lower than 42, but, um, 19 over the course of 94 episodes of television is not exactly and insubstantial amount.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not exactly
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The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
There’s also da Etta in Trastevere, the historic neighborhood beloved for its artsy ambiance which, fair warning, is not exactly unknown to tourists.
—Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Lucas is not exactly thrilled with the proposition.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 May 2025
Nineteen is certainly a lot lower than 42, but, um, 19 over the course of 94 episodes of television is not exactly and insubstantial amount.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
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 6 Jun. 2025.
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