not exactly

phrase

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

Many molecules come in versions that look alike but are not exactly identical, like right and left hands. — Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026

The hotel is very grown up, and therefore not exactly relaxing with very young kids (or, at least, not with my kid)—although children are not discouraged. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

But this mirror’s image, while not exactly wrong, is warped and limited. — Benjamin Riley, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026

The Mavericks — not exactly bursting at the seams with other high-level offensive initiators — must be careful not to wear him down. — Doug Haller, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Rhymes for not exactly

• abstractly