inexact
Somewhat off target
Inexact means not precisely accurate or correct.
An inexact measurement or estimate is close but not exact—acceptable for rough purposes but unsuitable where precision matters.
The word often implies that the imprecision is known and tolerated: Translation is an inexact art.
Inexact differs from wrong; it acknowledges approximation rather than error.
Approximate value judgment
- ballparkSports venue or estimate
- roughUneven in surface
- impreciseLacking exactness or accuracy
- approximationNear but inexact value
close · near · about · around · almost · nearly · guesstimate · roundabout
Unclear, ill-defined
- fuzzySoft and unclear
- unclearNot easily understood
- indistinctUnclear, hard to perceive
- nebulousUnclear and formless
hazy · blurry · murky · undefined · unspecific · sketchy · loose · sloppy
Uncertain of truth
- tentativeUncertain and provisional
- questionableOf uncertain validity
- speculativeBased on conjecture
- unconfirmedNot officially validated
unreliable · unsettled · unverified · disputed · debatable · contestable · provisional · unsubstantiated
estimation
Approximate value judgment
approximation · close · near · about · around · almost · nearly · guesstimate · roundabout · loosely
vague
Unclear, ill-defined
- fuzzySoft and unclear
- unclearNot easily understood
- indistinctUnclear, hard to perceive
nebulous · hazy · blurry · murky · undefined · unspecific · sketchy · loose · sloppy · crude
doubtful
Uncertain of truth
- tentativeUncertain and provisional
- questionableOf uncertain validity
- speculativeBased on conjecture
unconfirmed · unreliable · unsettled · unverified · disputed · debatable · contestable · provisional · unsubstantiated · hedged
inaccurate
Not correct or precise
flawed · faulty · off · errant · miscalculated · misstated · misquoted · misremembered · garbled · distorted
- Imprecisevague, fuzzy, rough, hazy, murky
- IN- wordsinactive, incomplete, invisible, inside, indoor
- chancechance, luck, lottery, dice, randomness
- approximationsabout, approximately, around, roughly, almost
- off targetoff target, off-target, off the mark, wide of the mark, wide
- almostalmost, nearly, about, approximately, roughly
inexactexact
Perfectly correct, no deviation
precise · pinpoint · dead-on · ultraprecise · meticulous
inexactdefinite
Clearly established, not vague
certain · positive · determined · established · defined