- making rigorous or excessive demands: an exacting job
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•act•ing /ɪgˈzæktɪŋ/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- demanding or expecting much: an exacting teacher.
- requiring great effort;
demanding:an exacting task.
ex•act•ing
(ig zak′ting),USA pronunciation adj.
ex•act′ing•ly, adv.
ex•act′ing•ness, n.
- rigid or severe in demands or requirements:an exacting teacher.
- requiring close application or attention:an exacting task.
- given to or characterized by exaction;
extortionate.
- exact + -ing2 1575–85
ex•act′ing•ness, n.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
exacting /ɪɡˈzæktɪŋ/ adj
ex•act /ɪgˈzækt/USA pronunciation adj.
v. [~ + object + from + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [before a noun] strictly accurate or correct: an exact description.
- characterized by, capable of, or using strict accuracy;
precise: an exact thinker.
v. [~ + object + from + object]
- to call for, demand, or require: parents who exact respect from their children.
ex•act
(ig zakt′),USA pronunciation adj.
v.t.
ex•act′a•ble, adj.
ex•act′er, ex•ac′tor, n.
ex•act′ness, n.
- strictly accurate or correct:an exact likeness; an exact description.
- precise, as opposed to approximate:the exact sum; the exact date.
- admitting of no deviation, as laws or discipline;
strict or rigorous. - capable of the greatest precision:exact instruments.
- characterized by or using strict accuracy:an exact thinker.
- Mathematics(of a differential equation) noting that the collection of all terms, equated to zero, is an exact differential.
v.t.
- to call for, demand, or require:to exact respect from one's children.
- to force or compel the payment, yielding, or performance of:to exact money; to exact tribute from a conquered people.
- Latin exāctus (past participle of exigere drive out, thrust out), equivalent. to ex- ex-1 + ag(ere) to drive + -tus past participle suffix
- late Middle English exacten (verb, verbal) 1400–50
ex•act′er, ex•ac′tor, n.
ex•act′ness, n.
- 3. rigid, severe, unbending. 5. methodical, careful, punctilious, demanding, scrupulous. 8. wring. See extract.
- 1. 2. imprecise.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
exact /ɪɡˈzækt/ adj
- correct in every detail; strictly accurate: an exact copy
- precise, as opposed to approximate; neither more nor less: the exact sum
- (prenominal) specific; particular: this exact spot
- operating with very great precision: exact instruments
- allowing no deviation from a standard; rigorous; strict: an exact mind
- based mainly on measurement and the formulation of laws, as opposed to description and classification: physics is an exact science
- to force or compel (payment or performance); extort: to exact tribute
- to demand as a right; insist upon: to exact respect from one's employees
- to call for or require: this work exacts careful effort
'exacting' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):