actual
Americanadjective
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existing in reality or as a matter of fact
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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
Related Words
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.
Top of the heap, alphabetically at least, is Australia – who are sending actual pop royalty Delta Goodrem to Vienna.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
Wall Street analysts typically overestimate actual earnings by two to 3 percentage points a year, on average, according to DataTrek research.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
“Not only is it the most expensive route, but it also deters from your actual mission, and so I decided that I would go down that path and build it.”
From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026
He said he knows galleries that have shown artists accused of actual crimes—he didn’t name any—but said Allen is being “crucified” simply for accepting the offer of a lifetime.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
I explained that my daughter was fine and didn't have to even get a rabies shot—there was no actual bite!
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
Definitions 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.
