CORRECT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does correct mean? 

• CORRECT (adjective)
  The adjective CORRECT has 4 senses:

1. free from error; especially conforming to fact or truth

2. socially right or correct

3. in accord with accepted standards of usage or procedure

4. correct in opinion or judgment

  Familiarity information: CORRECT used as an adjective is uncommon.

• CORRECT (verb)
  The verb CORRECT has 8 senses:

1. make right or correct

2. make reparations or amends for

3. censure severely

4. adjust for

5. punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience

6. go down in value

7. alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard

8. treat a defect

  Familiarity information: CORRECT used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CORRECT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Free from error; especially conforming to fact or truth

Synonyms:

correct; right

Context example:

the right decision

Similar:

accurate; exact; precise ((of ideas, images, representations, expressions) characterized by perfect conformity to fact or truth; strictly correct)

letter-perfect; word-perfect (correct to the last detail; especially being in or following the exact words)

straight (following a correct or logical method)

Also:

accurate (conforming exactly or almost exactly to fact or to a standard or performing with total accuracy)

proper (marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness)

true (consistent with fact or reality; not false)

Attribute:

correctness; rightness (conformity to fact or truth)

Antonym:

incorrect (not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth)

Derivation:

correctness (conformity to fact or truth)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Socially right or correct

Synonyms:

correct; right

Context example:

correct behavior

Similar:

proper (marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness)

Derivation:

correctness (the quality of conformity to social expectations)

Sense 3

Meaning:

In accord with accepted standards of usage or procedure

Synonyms:

correct; right

Context example:

the right way to open oysters

Similar:

proper (marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness)

Derivation:

correctness (the quality of conformity to social expectations)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Correct in opinion or judgment

Synonyms:

correct; right

Context example:

time proved him right

Similar:

right-minded (disposed toward or having views based on what is right)

Derivation:

correctness (the quality of conformity to social expectations)

• CORRECT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they correct    ... he / she / it corrects   
Past simple: corrected   
Past participle: corrected   
-ing form: correcting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make right or correct

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

correct; rectify; right

Context example:

rectify the calculation

Hypernyms (to "correct" is one way to...):

change by reversal; reverse; turn (change to the contrary)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "correct"):

debug (locate and correct errors in a computer program code)

amend; rectify; remediate; remedy; repair (set straight or right)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

falsify (falsify knowingly)

Derivation:

correction (the act of offering an improvement to replace a mistake; setting right)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make reparations or amends for

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

compensate; correct; redress; right

Context example:

right a wrongs done to the victims of the Holocaust

Hypernyms (to "correct" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "correct"):

over-correct; overcompensate (make excessive corrections for fear of making an error)

aby; abye; atone; expiate (make amends for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Censure severely

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

castigate; chasten; chastise; correct; objurgate

Context example:

She chastised him for his insensitive remarks

Hypernyms (to "correct" is one way to...):

bawl out; berate; call down; call on the carpet; chew out; chew up; chide; dress down; have words; jaw; lambast; lambaste; lecture; rag; rebuke; remonstrate; reprimand; scold; take to task; trounce (censure severely or angrily)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "correct"):

flame (criticize harshly, usually via an electronic medium)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

corrective (designed to promote discipline)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Adjust for

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

compensate; correct; counterbalance; even off; even out; even up; make up

Context example:

engineers will work to correct the effects or air resistance

Hypernyms (to "correct" is one way to...):

balance; equilibrate; equilibrise; equilibrize (bring into balance or equilibrium)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "correct"):

carry (compensate for a weaker partner or member by one's own performance)

compensate; cover; overcompensate (make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

corrective (tending or intended to correct or counteract or restore to a normal condition)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

correct; discipline; sort out

Context example:

The teacher disciplined the pupils rather frequently

Hypernyms (to "correct" is one way to...):

penalise; penalize; punish (impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

correction (the act of disciplining)

corrective (designed to promote discipline)

corrigible (capable of being corrected or set right)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Go down in value

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

correct; decline; slump

Context example:

prices slumped

Hypernyms (to "correct" is one way to...):

come down; descend; fall; go down (move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 7

Meaning:

Alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

adjust; correct; set

Context example:

correct the alignment of the front wheels

Hypernyms (to "correct" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "correct"):

modulate; regulate (fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of)

citify (accustom to urban ways)

justify (adjust the spaces between words)

linearise; linearize (make linear or get into a linear form)

harmonise; harmonize; reconcile (bring into consonance or accord)

align; coordinate; ordinate (bring (components or parts) into proper or desirable coordination correlation)

plumb (adjust with a plumb line so as to make vertical)

fit; match (make correspond or harmonize)

decompress; depressurise; depressurize (decrease the pressure of)

pressurise; pressurize (increase the pressure in or of)

sync; synchronise; synchronize (make synchronous and adjust in time or manner)

focalise; focalize; focus; sharpen (put (an image) into focus)

set (set to a certain position or cause to operate correctly)

attune (adjust or accustom to; bring into harmony with)

proportion (adjust in size relative to other things)

modulate (adjust the pitch, tone, or volume of)

temper (adjust the pitch (of pianos))

tune; tune up (adjust the pitches of (musical instruments))

calibrate; fine-tune; graduate (make fine adjustments or divide into marked intervals for optimal measuring)

tune; tune up (adjust for (better) functioning)

time (adjust so that a force is applied and an action occurs at the desired time)

trim (adjust (sails on a ship) so that the wind is optimally used)

zero; zero in (adjust (as by firing under test conditions) the zero of (a gun))

zero (adjust (an instrument or device) to zero value)

readjust; reset (adjust again after an initial failure)

time (regulate or set the time of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

corrective (tending or intended to correct or counteract or restore to a normal condition)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Treat a defect

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

The new contact lenses will correct for his myopia

Hypernyms (to "correct" is one way to...):

care for; treat (provide treatment for)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something

Derivation:

corrective (tending or intended to correct or counteract or restore to a normal condition)

 Context examples 

“You really think that your solution must be correct?” asked Holmes.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In other cases, treatments such as surgery, medicines, or physical therapy can correct the source of the problem or improve symptoms.

(Brain Diseases, NIH)

But I shall be surprised if it does not turn out to be correct.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

An electrocardiographic finding in which the QT interval corrected for heart rate using Fridericia's formula is slightly prolonged.

(Borderline QTcF, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

The administration of pharmacologic agents to correct abnormal heart rhythm.

(Chemical Cardioversion, NCI Thesaurus/ACC)

The possession of a grey garment was a third point which, granting the son’s statement to be correct, was a certainty.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But was such calculated drift correct?

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

They suggest that other models could be developed to explain the moon's observed libration, and that further measurements by Cassini could help determine which model is most likely to be correct.

(Saturn Moon May Hide a 'Fossil' Core or an Ocean, NASA)

Genes that encode cytoplasmic proteins of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes that bind to nascent or unfolded polypeptides and ensure correct folding or transport.

(Chaperone Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

It is observed in patients with severe hyponatremia, particularly when the hyponatremia is corrected too rapidly.

(Central Pontine Myelinolysis, NCI Thesaurus)