de facto

American  

[dih fak-toh, day, 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.

---

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

---

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.)

---

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

At the same time, Sudan's de facto leader announced an investigation into the alleged strikes, which were said to have killed dozens.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

But the immediate impact of the sanctions was softened by a series of exemptions that offer a de facto six-month grace period.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

And it's even harder to imagine a situation where that was not the de facto position even if a team boss had been given assurances they would be left alone.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

But it’s not your job to push the point and/or be her de facto accountant/adviser.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

Whatever it says on the calendar, Florida has de facto summer.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

• existing