Exacting — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ig-ˈzak-tiŋ/ ex·act·ing

Meaning & Definition of Exacting

Exacting (adjective)

  1. tryingly or unremittingly severe in making demands
  2. requiring careful attention and precision

Exacting (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. hard to please

    "he was shocked when his normally exacting supervisor complimented him on a job well done"

    similar: choosy, dainty, delicate, demanding, fastidious, finical, finicking, finicky, fussbudgety, fussy, nice, old-maidish, particular, pernickety (chiefly British), persnickety, picky
    related: hyperfastidious, overdemanding, ultrafastidious, discerning, discriminating, selective, insightful, knowledgeable, captious, carping, caviling, critical, faultfinding, hypercritical, overcritical, careful, meticulous, painstaking, punctilious, scrupulous, queasy, squeamish, peevish, petulant, prickly, touchy, niminy-piminy, prim, prissy
    opposite: undemanding, unfastidious, unfussy
    near: affable, breezy, carefree, devil-may-care, happy-go-lucky, lackadaisical, laid-back, low-pressure, relaxed, flexible, lax, loose, lenient, permissive, uncritical, indiscriminating, undiscriminating

  2. not allowing for any exceptions or loosening of standards

    "the prep school's exacting standards for admission"

    similar: brassbound, cast-iron, hard-line, inflexible, rigid, rigorous, strict, stringent, uncompromising
    related: close, conscientious, exact, fussy, meticulous, painstaking, punctilious, scrupulous, undeviating, adamant, adamantine, determined, dogged, firm, relentless, resolved, single-minded, steadfast, stubborn, tenacious, unbending, unflinching, immovable, implacable, unappeasable, unrelenting, unsparing, unyielding, austere, demanding, flinty, grim, hard, hardened, hard-hearted, harsh, ironbound, severe, stern, tough
    opposite: flexible, lax, loose, relaxed, slack
    near: acquiescent, compliant, compromising, pliable, pliant, relenting, yielding, easy, easygoing, gentle, indulgent, kindly, lenient, merciful, mild, pampering, soft, spoiling, tolerant, neglectful, negligent, remiss, slipshod, sloppy, slovenly, unfussy

  3. requiring considerable physical or mental effort

    "the new recruits had to adjust themselves to the exacting discipline of military life"

    similar: arduous, Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, formidable, grueling, hard, heavy, hellacious, herculean, killer, laborious, moiling, murderous, pick-and-shovel, rigorous, rough, rugged, severe, stiff, strenuous, sweaty, tall, testing, toilsome, tough, uphill
    related: abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, elusive, hairy, insoluble, intricate, involved, knotty, opaque, problematic, recondite, serious, spiny, stubborn, thorny, ticklish, tricky, bruising, burdensome, exhausting, labored, onerous, oppressive, stressful, taxing, tight, trying, annoying, bothersome, distressing, irksome, troublesome, vexatious, grievous, grim, strict, stringent, brutal, cruel, inhuman, painful
    opposite: cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple, soft, undemanding
    near: achievable, clear, doable, elementary, manageable, uncomplicated, comforting, gentle, painless, relaxed, smooth, soothing, accessible, friendly, idiotproof, user-friendly

  4. requiring much time, effort, or careful attention

    "writing will always be an exacting task"

    similar: arduous, burdensome, challenging, demanding, grueling, killing, laborious, onerous, persnickety, taxing, toilsome
    related: difficult, formidable, hard, herculean, rough, rugged, stiff, strenuous, testing, tough, oppressive, trying, rigid, rigorous, severe, stern, strict, stringent
    opposite: light, nondemanding, unchallenging, undemanding
    near: easy, effortless, facile, simple, smooth

Exacting (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority

    "every war inevitably exacts the greatest sacrifice possible from some of the nation's best and brightest"

    similar: calling (for), claiming, clamoring (for), commanding, demanding, enjoining, insisting (on), pressing (for), questing, stipulating (for)
    related: asking, pleading (for), requesting, wanting, crying (for), necessitating, needing, requiring, taking, warranting, requisitioning, imposing, badgering, dunning, harassing, hounding
    near: giving up, relinquishing, surrendering, yielding

  2. to establish or apply as a charge or penalty

    "vowed to exact a heavy fine from any hockey player engaging in such outrageous behavior on the ice"

    similar: assessing, charging, fining, imposing, laying, levying, putting
    related: docking, excising, mulcting, penalizing, taxing, extorting, shaking down, wresting, wringing, bleeding, fleecing, gouging, milking, skinning, squeezing, coercing, compelling, forcing, inflicting, wreaking, setting, reapplying, reimposing, relaying
    opposite: remitting
    near: abating, diminishing, lessening, forgiving, releasing, condoning, disregarding, excusing, glossing (over), glozing (over), ignoring, pardoning

  3. to get (as money) by the use of force or threats

    "that loan shark can be counted upon to exact repayment of his loan by whatever means necessary"

    similar: extorting, wresting, wringing
    related: bleeding, fleecing, gouging, milking, skinning, squeezing, cheating, racketeering, swindling, coercing, compelling, forcing

Related Entry: Exact (verb)

Exact is a different word from Exacting. The synonyms below are for exact, not for exacting.

  1. to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority

    "every war inevitably exacts the greatest sacrifice possible from some of the nation's best and brightest"

    similar: call (for), claim, clamor (for), command, demand, enjoin, insist (on), press (for), quest, stipulate (for)
    related: ask, plead (for), request, want, cry (for), necessitate, need, require, take, warrant, requisition, impose, badger, dun, harass, hound
    near: give up, relinquish, surrender, yield

  2. to establish or apply as a charge or penalty

    "vowed to exact a heavy fine from any hockey player engaging in such outrageous behavior on the ice"

    similar: assess, charge, fine, impose, lay, levy, put
    related: dock, excise, mulct, penalize, tax, extort, shake down, wrest, wring, bleed, fleece, gouge, milk, skin, squeeze, coerce, compel, force, inflict, wreak, set, reapply, reimpose, relay
    opposite: remit
    near: abate, diminish, lessen, forgive, release, condone, disregard, excuse, gloss (over), gloze (over), ignore, pardon

  3. to get (as money) by the use of force or threats

    "that loan shark can be counted upon to exact repayment of his loan by whatever means necessary"

    similar: extort, wrest, wring
    related: bleed, fleece, gouge, milk, skin, squeeze, cheat, racketeer, swindle, coerce, compel, force

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Exacting

The most common words with a similar meaning to Exacting:

Chiefly British: pernickety
choosy, dainty, delicate, demanding, fastidious, finical, finicking, finicky, fussbudgety, fussy, nice, old-maidish, particular, persnickety, picky, brassbound, cast-iron, hard-line, inflexible, rigid, rigorous, strict, stringent, uncompromising, arduous, Augean, backbreaking, challenging, difficult, effortful, formidable, grueling, hard, heavy, hellacious, herculean, killer, laborious, moiling, murderous

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Exacting

Words with the opposite meaning of Exacting:

undemanding, unfastidious, unfussy, flexible, lax, loose, relaxed, slack, cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple, soft, nondemanding, unchallenging, remitting

Related Words for Exacting

hyperfastidious, overdemanding, ultrafastidious, discerning, discriminating, selective, insightful, knowledgeable, captious, carping, caviling, critical, faultfinding, hypercritical, overcritical, careful, meticulous, painstaking, punctilious, scrupulous, queasy, squeamish, peevish, petulant, prickly, touchy, niminy-piminy, prim, prissy, close

Near Antonyms of Exacting

affable, breezy, carefree, devil-may-care, happy-go-lucky, lackadaisical, laid-back, low-pressure, lenient, permissive, uncritical, indiscriminating, undiscriminating, acquiescent, compliant, compromising, pliable, pliant, relenting, yielding, easygoing, gentle, indulgent, kindly, merciful, mild, pampering, spoiling, tolerant, neglectful

Word Forms of Exacting

Derived words: exactingly (adverb), exactingness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Exacting

from present participle of exact:1

First known use: 1634

Frequently Asked Questions about Exacting

What does "Exacting" mean?

"Exacting" means tryingly or unremittingly severe in making demands. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: tryingly or unremittingly severe in making demands. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Exacting"?

Other words for "Exacting" include choosy, dainty, delicate, demanding, fastidious, finical, finicking and finicky. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Exacting" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Exacting"?

There are 210 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Exacting". Common alternatives include choosy, dainty, delicate, demanding, fastidious, finical, finicking, finicky, fussbudgety and fussy.

What is the opposite of "Exacting"?

Antonyms of "Exacting" include undemanding, unfastidious, unfussy, flexible, lax, loose, relaxed and slack. Near antonyms include affable, breezy, carefree and devil-may-care.

How do you use "Exacting" in a sentence?

Examples of "Exacting" in a sentence: "he was shocked when his normally exacting supervisor complimented him on a job well done"; "the prep school's exacting standards for admission"; "the new recruits had to adjust themselves to the exacting discipline of military life".

Is "Exacting" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Exacting" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Exacting"?

"Exacting" is pronounced /ig-ˈzak-tiŋ/ and divided into syllables as ex·act·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Exacting"?

"Exacting" comes from from present participle of exact:1. First known use: 1634.