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imprecisely

imprecisely

1 5.4
In a not exact or clear way that can cause mistakes
  • adverb
  • /ɪmˈprɪsɪsli/
translation icon : imprecisamente
  • The instructions were given imprecisely, leading to confusion about how to assemble the furniture.
  • imprecisely estimated
  • imprecisely known
  • imprecisely measured

Nevertheless, we when we're we're speaking imprecisely, we do sometimes say that he does this when he does not 'cause this uprightness not to be deserted.

Examples

  • Borjas, Freeman, and Katz's findings on immigration's impact differ from studies that find only "modest and imprecisely estimated differences in earnings and employment rates of workers in cities with greater/lesser immigration flows."

    Academic text (1994)
  • The results show that the effects of the HPI and the FMR on these characteristics are generally small and imprecisely estimated.

    Academic text (2017)
  • One set concerns our choice among ends, given what we understand, however imprecisely, to be good.

    Academic text (2003)
  • That makes G, by far, the most imprecisely known constant on the list.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Excellence in music teaching is a quality that is imprecisely understood and measured.

    Academic text (1998)
  • I speak here and in the whole section somewhat imprecisely about precedents.

    Academic text (2016)
  • An earlier version of this post referred imprecisely to the origin of a statement from an account associated with Anonymous, @AnonyOps.

    Blog text (28)
  • Size was, therefore, estimated imprecisely, but this was the only way to obtain these data safely and without seriously interfering with the fishing operation.

    Academic text (1997)
  • And it is true that some courts have seemed to grasp only imprecisely how hash searches operate.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The benefits, potential complications, and side effects will be known only imprecisely because even effective drugs may not work for a specific patient, and patients differ in their risk and susceptibility to complications and side effects.

    Academic text (2016)

Synonyms

approximately
vsimprecisely
524 3.2

Near the exact number or amount

is broader, applying to unclear or inaccurate statements not only numbers
vaguely
vsimprecisely
115 3.9

Not clearly or with few details

is broader, including incorrectness and poor precision as well as lack of detail
loosely
vsimprecisely
43 3.7

In a way that is not exact or strict

is about lack of exact meaning or correctness rather than looseness
indistinctly
vsimprecisely
23 6.3

Hard to see, hear, or remember clearly

focuses on general lack of exactness or accuracy rather than sensory blur
inaccurately
vsimprecisely
7 4.2

In a way that is not correct or exact

is broader and also includes lack of clarity or exactness
unclearly
vsimprecisely
1 4.4

Not clear or hard to understand

also covers wrong or imprecise facts beyond lack of clarity
fuzzily
vsimprecisely
1 5.4

In a way that is unclear or blurry

is about correctness and precision rather than soft or blurry description
sketchily
vsimprecisely
1 7.1

In a rough, incomplete way that lacks detail

is about lack of precision or correctness rather than mere incompleteness
inexactly
vsimprecisely
5.7

In a way that is not exact or precise

is more general, covering unclear or inaccurate expressions
mistily
vsimprecisely
7.5

In a way that is unclear and gives no details

refers more to factual or exactness problems rather than foggy imagery

Antonyms

163 3.0

In a correct and exact way

124 3.7

Do something in an exact and careful way

How Precise

exactly
1.0
accurately
163 3.0
approximately
524 3.2
imprecisely
1 5.4
vaguely
115 3.9

Surface Forms

imprecisely positive
impreciselyer comparative
impreciselyest superlative

Morphology

imprecisely = imprecise (transparent) = im + precise + ly

Adding '-ly' to 'imprecise' produces a normal adverbial form with an expected meaning ('in a not-precise way').

Etymology

Imprecisely comes from im- ('not') + precise ('exact'). So to do something imprecisely is to do it 'not exactly' or without clear accuracy.