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

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

But on Wednesday, he seemed to walk back that stance, and said a key part of the ongoing negotiations hinged on Iran ending the de facto blockade on the strait.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Unlike some of its neighbours, Indonesia has not seen long fuel queues as global oil prices have soared due to Iran's de facto closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

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

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

In Jackson Park Burnham faced repeated interruptions stemming from his de facto role as ambassador to the outside world, charged with cultivating goodwill and future attendance.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Related Words

• existing