Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Making severe demands; rigorous.
  • adjective Requiring great care, effort, or attention.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Given to or characterized by exaction; severe in requirement or requisition; exigent in action or procedure: as, an exacting master; an exacting inquiry.
  • Attended by exaction; requiring close attention or application; arduous; laborious; absorbing: as, an exacting office or employment; exacting duties; exacting demands upon one's time.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Oppressive or unreasonably severe in making demands or requiring the exact fulfillment of obligations; harsh; severe.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Making excessive demands; hard to satisfy.
  • adjective Requiring precise accuracy
  • verb Present participle of exact.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective requiring precise accuracy
  • adjective severe and unremitting in making demands
  • adjective having complicated nutritional requirements; especially growing only in special artificial cultures

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From exact + -ing

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word exacting.

Examples

  • And yet, while we were discussing the supposed I.E.D. attack, Randall appeared to recall it in exacting detail? the smells, the sounds, the impact of the explosion.

    Heroes or Villains? 2010

  • Measuring 6 inches (7” with base), this mini-statue captures the charm and sultriness of this real-life heroine in exacting, minute detail.

    Dark Horse Solicitations for May 2008 | Major Spoilers - Comic Book Reviews and News 2009

  • I am obsessive about outlining, and the majority of any writing project is actually spent mapping out in exacting detail in advance everything that the characters will do and say in the course of a story or chapter.

    INTERVIEW: Chris Roberson 2009

  • When he came out of the Hammam, he donned a rich robe, purfled with gold and embroidered with jewels and jacinths; and, setting the royal crown on his head, sat down on his throne of kingship and ordered the affairs of the folk, doing equal justice between strong and weak, and exacting from the prince the dues of the pauper; wherefore the people loved him with exceeding love.

    The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

  • Patricia Lysaght observes that ritual cursing was often a means employed by women in exacting revenge against enemies and authorities who had caused them harm.

    Gutenber-e Help Page 2005

  • No. One would have thought that after the 2000 escapade that we would have been a bit more active in exacting changes that made voting better and fairer.

    Think Progress » Administration Receives Poor Grade On “Biggest Threat Facing This Country” 2005

  • As the story opens, we know that Reivich has succeeded in exacting revenge in some fashion because Mirabel is seeking revenge in return.

    REVIEW: Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds 2004

  • I can see no difference to a taxpayer in exacting from him the full amount of taxes on parity with other taxpayers and then bonusing him with government funds for economic or social purposes, or on the other hand reducing his taxes by the amount of the bonus.

    Tax Reform 1968

  • Then followed demands for punishment, in exacting which it was necessary to be pertinacious, if only to save her Majesty's Mission from dying of thirst.

    Glimpses of Life and Manners in Persia 1856

  • He was described as an exacting and sometimes fearsome leader, ordering up and rejecting multiple versions of new products until the final version was just right.

    ABC News: Top Stories 2011

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • requiring and demanding accuracy

    Though his childhood piano teacher was so exacting, Max is thankful now, as a professional pianist.

    October 19, 2016