de facto

American  

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

adverb

1. in fact; in reality (distinguished from de jure).

   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.

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adjective

1. actually existing, especially when without lawful authority (distinguished from de jure).

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

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

See Examples For:

de facto

Last week, American media reported that US President Donald Trump had rejected a personal request from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, to intervene in the war.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

Growth was limited, however, as production in OPEC’s de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, was constrained by threats to its key export routes, while a U.S. naval blockade strangled Iranian shipments from the Persian Gulf.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

“What I am doing now is preparing the ground de facto for this event,” he said in July.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

After communism’s fall, people all over Albania received titles to the property where they lived, once the land was not all de facto owned by the state.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

The pope, Arnauld argued, had authority in matters de jure but not in matters de facto.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• existing