actual

American  

[ak-choo-uhl] / ˈæk tʃu əl /

adjective

1. existing in act or fact; real.

   an actual case of heroism; actual expenses.

   Synonyms:

   veritable, authentic, genuine

   Antonyms:

   fictional, unreal

2. existing now; present; current.

   The ship's actual position is 22 miles due east of Miami.

3. Obsolete. pertaining to or involving acts or action.

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actual British  

/ ˈæktʃʊəl /

adjective

1. existing in reality or as a matter of fact

2. real or genuine

3. existing at the present time; current

4. informal (usually preceded by your) (intensifier)

   that music's by your actual Mozart, isn't it?

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Usage

The excessive use of actual and actually should be avoided. They are unnecessary in sentences such as in actual fact, he is forty-two, and he did actually go to the play but did not enjoy it

Related Words

See real ¹.

Other Word Forms

• actualness noun
• nonactual adjective
• nonactualness noun

Etymology

Origin of actual

First recorded in 1275–1325; from Late Latin āctuālis, from Latin āctu(s) act + -ālis -al ¹; replacing Middle English actuel, from Middle French, from Latin

Compare meaning

How does actual compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• actual vs. theoretical

Explanation

If you describe something as actual, it really exists or is true. You might excitedly tell your friends that you saw an actual bald eagle land on your mailbox. Use the adjective actual when you want to emphasize that something is certain or confirmed, especially when it's different from what you expected. For example, you might say, "The actual length of my cousin's visit was three weeks, even though she said she'd stay three days." The Old French root is actuel, "now existing," from the Latin word actus, "a doing, driving, or impulse."

Example Sentences

You can afford to focus on your actual expenses and vision for retirement than your Roth vs. traditional balance.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

And then, of course, there were the actual perfect storms, the high-caliber hurricanes which, before climate change, didn’t come to the Ridge: Irma, Ian, Milton, massive cells, all direct hits on the groves.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

But thousands of other entrepreneurs and investors will benefit once the fiction of victimless disgorgement is set aside and the SEC focuses on punishing fraud with actual victims.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

"It was one of the first actual laws that protected nature," O'Hara tells the Hidden East Yorkshire podcast.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

The hairs on my neck were permanently at attention and the goose bumps on my arms and legs were big enough to hatch into actual geese.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• certain
• existing
• physical
• real
• substantial
• substantive