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inexactness

inexactness

7.2
A lack of accuracy or exact detail
  • noun
  • /ˌɪnɪɡˈzɛktnəs/
translation icon : imprecisión
  • This framing of text provides an opportunity to examine text that is not only contextual, but also provides a certain amount of vagueness and flexibility or inexactness as future literacies and technologies warrant (Brooks, 2004).

Examples

  • The novelty of this study lay in our attempt to reflect the inexactness of real-world reasoning (Dunbar, 2001) by soliciting preferred-answer responses, as opposed to correct answers.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The inexactness of the measurements led to significant errors in the final report.

  • Such inexactness can be very costly in test errors.

    Academic text (1993)
  • He routinely denigrated geology and natural history as "inexact" sciences, and because photography shared in this inexactness, it was not yet for him an adequate instrument for surveying the West.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Engineers must account for the inexactness in their calculations to avoid any potential issues.

  • Due to the inexactness of the data, researchers had to revise their conclusions multiple times.

Synonyms

inaccuracy
vsinexactness
24 4.9

A mistake in information or measurement

highlights vague lack of precision rather than definite wrong facts
imprecision
vsinexactness
3 6.5

A thing that is not exact or clear, for example a measurement

focuses on missing precision rather than missing detail
inexactitude
vsinexactness
1 8.6

A lack of exactness or accuracy

is the same meaning but a different word form
impreciseness
vsinexactness
7.9

Not being exact causes mistakes

stresses absence of precision and accuracy rather than vagueness

Antonyms

precision
  • Specialized
157 4.2

The quality of being exact and giving the same result when repeated

2 4.1

A state of being accurate and free from mistakes

How Exact

accuracy
169 3.8
exactness
2 4.1
imprecision
3 6.5
inexactness
7.2
inaccuracy
24 4.9
approximation
22 4.4

Surface Forms

inexactness singular
inexactnesses plural

Morphology

inexactness = inexact (transparent) = in + exact + ness

This is a standard noun formation from the adjective 'inexact' meaning the state or quality of being inexact.

Etymology

Inexactness is made from in- ('not'), exact ('correct' or 'careful'), and -ness (a noun ending). So, inexactness is the 'not correct' or 'not precise' quality, which is why it means a lack of precision or accuracy.