actually
Americanadverb
adverb
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as an actual fact; really
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( as sentence modifier )
actually, I haven't seen him
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at present
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informal a parenthetic filler used to add slight emphasis
I don't know, actually
Usage
Spelling tips for actually The word actually is hard to spell because it uses a double l. How to spell actually: The word actually is often used for emphasis. Keep in mind that to really make your point, you need Lots of Ls (a double l).
Etymology
Origin of actually
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; actual ( def. ), + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
You might think your mom would be thrilled to open a birthday present and find a live rabbit, but actually that's the last thing she's hoping for. Actually is an adverb that means "in reality." Actually can be used two ways: first, as an adverb meaning "really." You might say, "It's hard to know which of these cookies will taste best without actually sampling them all." The other way to use the word actually is to imply that your expectations have been proven wrong, that the opposite of what you thought is true. You could say, "The hotel room looked spotless, but actually it turned out to have bedbugs."
Vocabulary lists containing actually
List 3
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ly
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"Saying Yes" and "A Lion Hunt"
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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.
“A government that is actually meeting its constitutional obligations has no reason to fear public scrutiny,” said Alvaro M. Huerta, director of litigation and advocacy at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
So are women actually feeling more anger - and what is driving that shift - or are they just more open about it?
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Other strategies can actually lower taxes, such as when funding 529 plans or Roth IRAs, or when someone inherits a traditional IRA with required withdrawals larger than they will need.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
People who believe they are out-earning their peers do appear to be actually happier, according to a 2024 paper circulated by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
“I’m of more use to them at home, and I actually like working in the store.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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.
