Printing firms around the world are generally willing to pay perhaps a 20-percent premium to buy a printing press from Germany, because the German presses are very solidly built and are machined to exacting tolerances.
Source: tatoeba (3442678)
Exacting
/ɪɡˈzæktɪŋ/
Synonyms for "exacting" (227 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (46)
Noun(3 words)
careful decisiondetailed future plansenforcement of precise rule
Strong matches (68)
Adjective(14 words)
exigentextortextractfastidiousfinickiestfussierhigh standardsimposelaboratory-gradelaboriouslevymethodicalmeticulousmeticulous planner
Noun(1 words)
Related words (113)
Noun(5 words)
narrowniceno picnicnot easyoperoseoppressiveout of boundsout of sightoutrageousovercriticaloverpricedpainfulparticularperfectionistperfectionisticpersistentpertinaciouspickypreciseprecisianistic
Show 58 more words
precisionisticpreposterouspressingpriggishprohibitiveprudishpunctiliouspunctualpuristicpuritanicpuritanicalrefinedreligiousrigidrigorousroughruggedscrupulousscrutinizingselectivesensitiveset with thornssevereskyrocketingspartanspartanicspinyspiralingsqueamishsteepsternstraitstrenuousstrictstringentsubtlesuperincumbenttaxingthornyticklishtighttoilsometoughtrickytryingtyrannicalunconscionableundueunfeelingunreasonableunsparingunwarranteduphilluprootingurgentusuriousweightywicked
Adjective(30 words)
onerouspedanticpickierpreciseprecise measureprecise phrasingprocurerequirerigorousrigorous analysisrigorous approachrigorous argumentrigorous corroborationrigorous inferencerigorous logicrigorous reasoningrigorous sciencesternstrenuousstrict
Show 10 more words
strict burial-action protocolstricteststringentsurgicaltaxingtextual precisionthorough coordinatoruncompromisingunforgivingunrelenting
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abstruse, accurate, acquisitive, arduous, arduous.
- Sentence evidence is available for exacting, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "exacting".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "exacting"
Keep "exacting" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "exacting" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "exacting", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "exacting" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriesMore specific
16 entriesadmissionconcessionsconfessioncostexact obedienceexact paymentexact tributefeeheavy workloadhigh costlevylong durationpedantryrigorstrictnesstoll
Collocations
12 entriesexact obedienceexact paymentexact tollexact tributeexacted paymentexacting criteriaexacting demandexacting demandsexacting performanceexacting scheduleexacting scrutinyexacting standards
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
4 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
10 total sentences available.
Khatia Buniatishvili's powerful hands rose and returned to the piano with exacting force as she played the last chord of a Rachmaninoff concerto.
Source: tatoeba (6836268)
Ziri is even more hellbent on exacting revenge.
Source: tatoeba (11382720)
His exacting taste required no small degree of outward perfection.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 10 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "exacting"?
Closest matches include abstruse, accurate, acquisitive, arduous, arduous.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "exacting"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.