actually

[ak-choo-uh-lee]

adverb

1. as an actual or existing fact; really.

actually

/ ˈæktʃʊəlɪ /

adverb

1. 1. as an actual fact; really

   2. ( as sentence modifier )

      actually, I haven't seen him

2. at present

3. informal,  a parenthetic filler used to add slight emphasis

   I don't know, actually

Word History and Origins

Origin of actually¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; actual ( def. ), + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

In short, it’s what people do way too often in the face of fascism, and if we know one thing about it for sure — well, actually, we know two: It’s humiliating and it doesn’t work.

Read more on Salon

“I hate to say it, but we probably picked this time to actually avoid some of the traffic on our road,” Seymour, a speech-language pathologist, said by phone from France.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Scientists have long believed this was theoretically possible, yet actually achieving it has proven far more difficult.

Read more on Science Daily

It is actually one of the most successfully integrated places.

Read more on BBC

So what pressure can the King and the Royal Family actually apply?

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• absolutely 
• for real 
• genuinely 
• in fact 
• indeed 
• literally 
• really 
• truly 
• verily 

When To Use

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).