correct
Free from error; true; accurate.
Word facts
Definition of Correct
With good manners; well behaved; conforming with accepted standards of behaviour.
Example sentences
Only one of the answers on the test is correct.
She gave the correct change without using a calculator.
Using Correct well
A closer look at how correct is used — meaning in plain English, how close synonyms differ, and examples at different levels.
Free from mistakes; in agreement with what is true or proper.
Use 'correct' when something matches the right answer, fact, or standard. It suits tests, instructions, formal replies, and situations where accuracy matters more than praise.
Common in exams, technical writing, forms, and formal or polite confirmation ('that is correct').
As a verb, 'correct' means to fix an error ('please correct the spelling'); do not confuse it with 'collect' (to gather), which looks similar but is unrelated.
- accurate
- stresses precision and closeness to the exact truth, common with data and measurements
- right
- more casual and broader; can also mean morally right or suitable, not just error-free
- true
- about agreement with fact or reality, not about following a rule or answer key
- proper
- emphasizes conforming to accepted rules or etiquette rather than being factually right
- exact
- stronger — precise to the last detail, with no approximation
- wrong
- the everyday opposite; plain and direct
- incorrect
- more formal and neutral, common in tests and instructions
- inaccurate
- focuses on lack of precision rather than being flatly false
- mistaken
- applies to people holding a wrong belief, softening the judgment
- Beginner Only one of the four answers is correct.
- In writing Her figures were correct, but the conclusion she drew from them was not.
- Advanced It is technically correct to call the treaty binding, though in practice no one enforces it.
'Correct' shares its root with 'rectify' (to set right) — both are about making things right.
Synonyms for Correct
Antonyms for Correct
Related words
Words closely connected to Correct in meaning or use:
Words that rhyme with Correct
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What does correct mean?
Free from error; true; accurate. It is an adjective.
How many syllables does correct have?
There are 2 syllables in correct, divided as kur·ehkt when spoken.
What part of speech is correct?
In a sentence, correct functions as an adjective. As a verb, it describes an action or state.
What are synonyms for correct?
Close in meaning to correct are proper, right, discipline, chastise — choose the one whose tone fits your sentence.
How do you use correct in a sentence?
Example: "Only one of the answers on the test is correct."