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.
The actor continued that it was actually a meeting with the “Children of Blood and Bone” author that gave her the confidence to pursue the role.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026
We might actually be able to win this thing.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
That actually won’t happen because of the negative “drag” of the time premium on the VIX futures.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026
France was awarded a spot kick after Mbappé was tripped in the area, but a lengthy video review left him stewing for 3 minutes 11 seconds before he could actually shoot.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
Now we can actually hear each other without needing to shout.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
