actually

adverb

ac·​tu·​al·​ly ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lē 

-sh(ə-w)ə-lē;

ˈaksh-lē,

ˈaks-

1

: in act or in fact : really

trying to find out what actually happened

won't actually arrive for an hour

2

: in point of fact

—used to suggest something unexpected

was surprised to learn that she could actually speak German

Synonyms

• honestly
• frankly
• really
• indeed

Examples of actually in a Sentence

actually, I'd rather spend the evening at home

I call her Aunt Emily, but she is actually my cousin, not my aunt.

Recent Examples on the Web

Foundation emails obtained by the Herald show the club membership was actually under Gatlin’s name. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025

But while many hiring professionals are concerned about applicants using AI in the process, one leader actually hunts for talent using the tech in application rounds. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025

It’s also revealed that Peter’s father Richard, long thought to be dead, is actually alive and in prison. —Jordan Moreau, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025

Canon would suggest this is the last time Claire will ever see her parents, given that they're assumed dead in a car crash (and actually are lost in time). —Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English actuelly, from actuel, actual actual + -ly -ly entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for actually

• contextually
• unusually
• dually

Kids Definition

actually

adverb

ac·​tu·​al·​ly ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lē 

ˈak-sh(ə-w)ə-lē

: in fact or in truth : really

she actually spoke Spanish

actually, I didn't want to go