The difference between Approximate and Exact
When used as verbs, approximate means to estimate, whereas exact means to demand and enforce the payment or performance of, sometimes in a forcible or imperious way.
When used as adjectives, approximate means approaching, whereas exact means precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth.
Exact is also adverb with the meaning: exactly.
check bellow for the other definitions of Approximate and Exact
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Approximate as an adjective:
Approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.
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Approximate as an adjective:
Nearing correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate.
Examples:
"approximate results or values"
"NASA's Genesis spacecraft has on board an ion monitor to record the speed, density, temperature and approximate composition of the solar wind ions."
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Approximate as a verb (ambitransitive):
To estimate.
Examples:
"I approximated the value of [[pi]] by taking 22 divided by 7."
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Approximate as a verb (transitive):
To come near to; to approach.
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Approximate as a verb (transitive):
To carry or advance near; to cause to approach.
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Exact as an adjective:
Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect.
Examples:
"The clock keeps exact time."
"He paid the exact debt."
"an exact copy of a letter"
"'exact accounts"
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Exact as an adjective:
Habitually careful to agree with a standard, a rule, or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual.
Examples:
"a man exact in observing an appointment"
"In my doings I was exact."
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Exact as an adjective:
Precisely or definitely conceived or stated; strict.
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Exact as an adjective (algebra, of a [[sequence]] of [[group]]s connected by [[homomorphism]]s):
Such that the kernel of one homomorphism is the image of the preceding one.
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Exact as a verb (transitive):
To demand and enforce the payment or performance of, sometimes in a forcible or imperious way.
Examples:
"to exact tribute, fees, or obedience from someone."
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Exact as a verb (transitive):
To make desirable or necessary.
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Exact as a verb (transitive):
To forcibly obtain or produce.
Examples:
"to exact revenge on someone"
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Exact as an adverb:
exactly
Examples:
"She's wearing the exact same sweater as I am!"