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Meaning & use

precise

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/prɪˈsaɪs/
US/prɪˈsaɪs/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Clearly and exactly stated or measured, with every detail correct and nothing left vague.

    Grammar: Goes before a noun or after be: a precise figure, the figure is precise.

    Patterns

    • precise about something
    • be precise in something

    The recipe gives precise quantities, down to the gram.

    Can you be more precise about when the delivery will arrive?

    Her precise handwriting made the notes easy to read.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Used to stress that you mean one particular moment, place or thing and no other.

    Grammar: Appears before a noun, often with this or that: at that precise moment.

    Patterns

    • the precise moment when
    • this precise spot

    At that precise moment, the lights went out.

    This precise spot is where we first met.

    I can't recall the precise reason she left.

  3. adjectivecomparable

    Careful and exact in manner, sometimes to a fussy degree.

    Grammar: Describes a person or their habits: a precise man.

    Patterns

    • precise in something

    He is a precise man who irons even his socks.

    The conductor was precise in every gesture.

Word forms

comparativemore precise
superlativemost precise

Common combinations

precise measurement
The experiment needs a precise measurement of the temperature.
precise instructions
The manual gives precise instructions for assembling the shelf.
to be precise
We arrived at six, or ten past six to be precise.
the precise nature of
Doctors are still unsure about the precise nature of the illness.
remarkably precise
The watch is remarkably precise for its price.

Synonyms and how they differ

exact
Exact stresses that something matches the true value perfectly, while precise also suggests how finely the detail is given.
accurate
Accurate means close to the truth, whereas a precise answer can be very detailed and still wrong.
specific
Specific means clearly identified rather than general, but it does not promise fine detail the way precise does.
meticulous
Meticulous describes a person who takes great care over small details, while precise can describe the result itself.

Opposites

vagueapproximateimprecise

Word family

precisely adverb
in an exact way; also used to agree emphatically
precision noun
the quality of being exact
imprecise adjective
not exact or clear
imprecision noun
lack of exactness

Commonly confused: precise or concise?

precise vs concise

Concise means short and to the point, while precise means exact. A concise report can still be imprecise.

Practice

The manager asked for a ___ figure, not a rough guess.

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