factual
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to facts; concerning facts.
factual accuracy.
-
based on or restricted to facts.
a factual report.
adjective
-
of, relating to, or characterized by facts
-
of the nature of fact; real; actual
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of factual
First recorded in 1825–35; fact + -ual, after actual or effectual
Explanation
If something is factual, it can be proven, like your mother's story about the bear that is factual because she took a picture of it standing next to the family car. Something factual is real. It is based in fact, meaning it can be proven, repeated or observed. In fact, fact is the root of the word factual, from the Latin word factum, meaning "event, occurrence." The factual part of a story is the part that really happened — the rest gets more outlandish every time someone tells it. Evidence makes something factual.
Vocabulary lists containing factual
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Make Do: Fac
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The Real Deal: Synonyms for "True"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Emotional language and blurry factual pictures are not a substitute for a rigorous presentation of facts," said Ko Ko Hlaing, a minister in the president's office.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
“The factual details of how this transpired is exactly what we’re trying to determine,” Chapman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Augustin disputed that characterization of the presentations and said he’s provided only factual information about the measure so residents can understand the choices before them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
The agent is fictional, the heroes were erased, and just about the only thing I found factual was the re-creation of Kaczynski’s mailbox.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
It was not very well received at the time due to factual errors she made.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
