not exactly

not exactly

1. Not quite; not too far from the truth. A: "So you'll be moving back to the city for the new job then?" B: "Not exactly. The wife and kids will stay where they are, and I'll commute back to them for the weekends." A: "Does that make me the manager?" B: "Not exactly—more like a co-manager with Ken."
2. Used sarcastically or ironically to mean "not at all." What do you think of the painting? I'm not exactly Picasso, but I think it turned out pretty well. They won't exactly be pleased to see us after the way the last dinner party went.
See also: exactly, not
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

not exactly

(spoken)
1 used when you are saying the opposite of what you really mean: He wasn’t exactly pleased to see us — in fact he refused to open the door.It’s not exactly beautiful, is it? (= it’s ugly)
2 used when you are correcting something that somebody has said: ‘So he told you you’d got the job?’ ‘Not exactly, but he said they were impressed with me.’
See also: exactly, not
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
See also:
Copyright © 2003-2025 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.