actual

[ ak-choo-uhl ]

adjective

1. existing in act or fact; real:

   an actual case of heroism; actual expenses.

   Synonyms: veritable, authentic, genuine

   Antonyms: fictional, unreal

2. existing now; present; current:

   The ship's actual position is 22 miles due east of Miami.

3. Obsolete. pertaining to or involving acts or action.

actual

/ ˈæktʃʊəl /

adjective

1. existing in reality or as a matter of fact
2. real or genuine
3. existing at the present time; current
4. 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

Other Words From

• actu·al·ness noun
• non·actu·al adjective
• non·actu·al·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of actual¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of actual¹

C14: actuel existing, from Late Latin āctuālis relating to acts, practical, from Latin āctus act

Synonym Study

See real ¹.

Example Sentences

If you get to be a monopoly because we don’t enforce antitrust laws, you’re going to end up making, pre tax, a lot more money than you would otherwise have made if you had to compete in an actual free market.

From TechCrunch

The actual Mayo Clinic researchers who authored the cited study complained that the FDA “grossly misrepresented” their data.

From Fortune

These controls are more about your privacy and your relationship with Google than actual Android security, but it’s worth noting that the less data you share, the safer you are.

From Popular-Science

It will automatically optimize against actual sales in stores, not merely foot traffic.

From Search Engine Land

The assumption is that the smaller the cut for the ad tech vendor the more there is in the actual bid to compete for impressions that it may have otherwise lost.

From Digiday

Not actual CIA agents, but U.S. government personnel who have worked very closely with the CIA, and who are fans of the show.

From The Daily Beast

Have you ever heard any feedback from the CIA/actual spies on Archer?

From The Daily Beast

They are not the actual traffickers, Yazbek says, so generally the other refugees protect their identity.

From The Daily Beast

Texas offers not just place to its actual or potential new residents, but professional possibilities.

From The Daily Beast

But to see any actual smooching, fans had to take matters into their own .

From The Daily Beast

Altogether, it seems that not more than one-third of our fast diminishing total are available for actual fighting purposes.

From Project Gutenberg

Allcraft winced, as every syllable made known the speaker's actual strength—his own dependence and utter weakness.

From Project Gutenberg

An increase in actual number is an absolute increase; an increase in percentage only, a relative increase.

From Project Gutenberg

On the other hand, the arrows along the sides of the triangle represent actual circulation.

From Project Gutenberg

He did not answer, but he tried to look as if his partner had exactly guessed his actual intention.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• certain
• existing
• for-real
• physical
• real
• substantial
• substantive