de facto

American  

[dee fak-toh, dey] / di ˈfæk toʊ, deɪ /

adverb

1. in fact; in reality: They are forbidden from leaving the camp, thereby being de facto in a state of detention.

   Although his title was prime minister, he was de facto president of the country.

   They are forbidden from leaving the camp, thereby being de facto in a state of detention.

2. actually existing, especially when without lawful authority (distinguished from de jure).

   He led efforts to reduce de facto segregation in the city's public schools.

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noun

1. Australia. a person who lives with someone in an intimate romantic relationship but is not married to that person.

de facto British  

/ deɪ ˈfæktəʊ /

adverb

1. in fact

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adjective

1. existing in fact, whether legally recognized or not Compare de jure

   a de facto regime

noun

1. a de facto husband or wife

de facto Cultural  

1. Something generally accepted or agreed to without any formal decision in its favor: “They never elected him; he became their leader de facto.” From Latin, meaning “in fact.” (Compare de jure.)

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Etymology

Origin of de facto

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin dē factō literally, “from the fact”

Example Sentences

The country’s army chief and de facto leader, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has developed a warm relationship with President Trump while tightening his grip on power.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

This crisis has been further worsened by the de facto fuel blockade.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

She echoed concerns over the ongoing de facto blockade by Iran of the key Strait of Hormuz, which has driven up global oil prices and left vessels queueing up to enter the energy bottleneck.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Lipacis noted that the difference between Arm and Nvidia, however, is that Nvidia developed its chips and then “fought to become the de facto standard” for GPUs.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

However, it did produce the Pacific Crest Trail and secured the future of the AT by making it a de facto national park.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• existing