de facto

American  

[dee fak-toh, dey] / di ˈfæk toʊ, deɪ /

adverb

1. in fact; in reality: They are forbidden from leaving the camp, thereby being de facto in a state of detention.

   Although his title was prime minister, he was de facto president of the country.

   They are forbidden from leaving the camp, thereby being de facto in a state of detention.

2. actually existing, especially when without lawful authority (de jure ).

   He led efforts to reduce de facto segregation in the city's public schools.

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noun

1. Australia. a person who lives with someone in an intimate romantic relationship but is not married to that person.

de facto British  

/ deɪ ˈfæktəʊ /

adverb

1. in fact

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adjective

1. existing in fact, whether legally recognized or not Compare de jure

   a de facto regime

noun

1. a de facto husband or wife

de facto Cultural  

1. Something generally accepted or agreed to without any formal decision in its favor: “They never elected him; he became their leader de facto.” From Latin, meaning “in fact.” (Compare de jure.)

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Etymology

Origin of de facto

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin dē factō literally, “from the fact”

Example Sentences

With no one above him in the office, that title leaves Essayli as the de facto U.S. attorney.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Since joining OpenAI, Simo has become its de facto leader, overseeing everything outside of the startup’s research and data-center teams, which report to Altman.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The impact of the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already led governments to take exceptional measures, like the Philippines which has declared a national energy emergency, Maynier noted.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

This crisis has been further worsened by the de facto fuel blockade.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

By the late 1980s, Sing Sing’s status as a de facto training facility was well established.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Related Words

• existing