actual
Americanadjective
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existing in reality or as a matter of fact
-
real or genuine
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existing at the present time; current
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informal (usually preceded by your) (intensifier)
that music's by your actual Mozart, isn't it?
Usage
The excessive use of actual and actually should be avoided. They are unnecessary in sentences such as in actual fact, he is forty-two, and he did actually go to the play but did not enjoy it
Synonym Usage
See real 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of actual
First recorded in 1275–1325; from Late Latin āctuālis, from Latin āctu(s) act + -ālis -al 1; replacing Middle English actuel, from Middle French, from Latin
Compare meaning
How does actual compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
If you describe something as actual, it really exists or is true. You might excitedly tell your friends that you saw an actual bald eagle land on your mailbox. Use the adjective actual when you want to emphasize that something is certain or confirmed, especially when it's different from what you expected. For example, you might say, "The actual length of my cousin's visit was three weeks, even though she said she'd stay three days." The Old French root is actuel, "now existing," from the Latin word actus, "a doing, driving, or impulse."
Vocabulary lists containing actual
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Robins, however, is an actual actor who’s worked steadily, and inconspicuously, since 1985 when he had bit parts in “Teen Wolf” and “Weird Science.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
The government-imposed cap, introduced in 2017 to tackle oversupply and reduce emissions during a period of rapid expansion in the industry, applies to installed smelting capacity rather than actual annual production.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
“As a man who loves me some good petty drama,” Luke says, “I can’t wait for this story to unfold in the weeks ahead. Honestly, it outshines the actual football.”
From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2026
So AI users using the technology to work more efficiently become more valuable to them than the actual innovators, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
I knew Regan had been the one to write the actual letter, but it was clear now that I’d known about it.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
