different between meticulous vs exacting

English

Etymology

From Latin meticul?sus (“full of fear, timid, fearful, terrible, frightful”), from metus (“fear”) and -cul?sus, extracted from per?cul?sus (“perilous”). Sense of "characterized by very precise, conscientious attention to details" is from French méticuleux.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /m??t?kj?l?s/, /m??t?kjul?s/
• Rhymes: -?kj?l?s

Adjective

meticulous (comparative more meticulous, superlative most meticulous)

1. Characterized by very precise, conscientious attention to details.

   Synonyms: careful, precise, painstaking, rigorous, scrupulous; see also Thesaurus:meticulous

   Antonyms: sloppy, careless, slapdash
2. (archaic) Timid, fearful, overly cautious.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:cautious

   Antonyms: aggressive, carefree; see also Thesaurus:careless

Derived terms

• meticulosity, meticulously, meticulousness

Translations

Further reading

• meticulous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• meticulous in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

exact +? -ing

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???zækt??/
• Rhymes: -ækt??
• Hyphenation: ex?act?ing

Adjective

exacting (comparative more exacting, superlative most exacting)

1. Making excessive demands; difficult to satisfy.
2. (of an action, task, etc) Requiring precise accuracy, great care, effort, or attention.
3. (of a person or organization) Characterized by exaction.

Synonyms

• (difficult to satisfy): demanding
• (requiring precise accuracy, effort, care, or attention): demanding, niggly, pernickety
• (characterized by exaction): acquisitive, extortionate, grasping, money-grubbing, rapacious

Translations

Verb

exacting

1. Present participle and gerund of exact.

Derived terms

• exactingly
• exactingness

See also

• Thesaurus:fastidious
• Thesaurus:meticulous