de facto

American  

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

adverb

1. in fact; in reality (distinguished from de jure).

   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.

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adjective

1. 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.

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

See Examples For:

de facto

But it’s not your job to push the point and/or be her de facto accountant/adviser.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong was at the center of it all and exercised the crypto industry’s sway over the bill as its de facto leader.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

His dad Mahmoud Ahmed Sherifo was the local government minister and de facto deputy president before his detention.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Last week, American media reported that US President Donald Trump had rejected a personal request from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, to intervene in the war.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

He also invited Hannah Song, his then-boss and de facto guardian, to listen in.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• existing