Word: exacting (adjective)

Associations

The word "exacting" describes something or someone that demands a lot of effort, attention, or precision. It often refers to tasks, standards, or people who require things to be done very carefully and correctly.

• A teacher with exacting standards expects students to do their best work.
• An exacting job requires careful attention to detail, like a surgeon's work.
• An exacting customer wants everything perfect when buying a product.

Synonym: "demanding" is similar, but "exacting" usually emphasizes precision and strictness more than just difficulty.

Substitution

Instead of "exacting," you can use:

• demanding (focuses more on difficulty or effort)
• strict (focuses on rules or discipline)
• precise (focuses on accuracy) Using "demanding" makes the meaning more about effort, while "exacting" highlights the need for accuracy and high standards.

Deconstruction

"Exacting" comes from the root word "exact," which means precise or accurate. The suffix "-ing" here turns it into an adjective, describing something that requires exactness or precision.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you had to do an exacting task? What made it exacting?
• How is an exacting teacher different from a strict teacher?
• What kinds of jobs or activities do you think are exacting? Why?