factual
Americanadjective
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of or relating to facts; concerning facts.
factual accuracy.
-
based on or restricted to facts.
a factual report.
adjective
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of, relating to, or characterized by facts
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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.
He added, however, that “it is also factual in our minds that we have all the assets that is required to do custom chips.”
From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026
Its verdict: the rebuttal was “emotionally charged, selectively using data, with multiple factual errors and logical fallacies.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Instead, the so-called autopsy was a shambolic train wreck of missing paragraphs, factual errors, and apparent plagiarism.
From Slate • May 23, 2026
Joby’s court filing said Archer’s complaint was “long on innuendo, but short on factual allegations supporting cognizable legal theories.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
In later years she regretted not being more factual, not providing herself with a store of raw material.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions 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.
