actually

American  

[ak-choo-uh-lee] / ˈæk tʃu ə li /

adverb

1. as an actual or existing fact; really.

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actually British  

/ 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

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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. )

Example Sentences

But they are actually designed as lifelong treatments for chronic diseases, namely obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Small teams of brilliant young people that are able to look at the problem in a new way—those are the kinds of organizations that actually win,” said Spector, 25.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It was kind of crazy to resume where we were. … My history teacher actually had the writing on his whiteboard from our last day here a year ago.”

From Los Angeles Times

Still, the overall advance in precious-metal prices is “convincing” because of how the market has reacted when prices actually fall, said Skoyles.

From MarketWatch

The proposal, inspired by how forensic science weighs evidence found at crime scenes, offers researchers a consistent way to communicate how confident they are that microplastic has actually been detected.

From Barron's

Related Words

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