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

“The gap between ongoing water use and the reality of how much water actually flows in the Colorado River poses a serious near term threat.”

From Los Angeles Times

“I think they started to believe that I was there to actually hear what was going on,” she told The Times.

From Los Angeles Times

Then there are the costs when you actually get to said hen, stag or wedding.

From BBC

Cooper told the newspaper "it was a lot of diplomatic work in order to help them actually leave Gaza".

From BBC

It's actually part of the UK's National Shipbuilding Strategy that social value make up at least 10% of the scoring for publicly-funded contracts.

From 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).