1
: actual
especially
: being such in effect though not formally recognized
a de facto state of war
Whatever it says on the calendar, Florida has de facto summer. —
E. L. Konigsburg
E. L. Konigsburg has become the movement's de facto spokesperson
2
: exercising power as if legally constituted
a de facto government
the de facto head of state
3
: resulting from economic or social factors rather than from laws or actions of the state
de facto segregation
Synonyms
Examples of de facto in a Sentence
Adjective
with the death of his father, he became the de facto head of the family
Recent Examples on the WebEwa Krukowska, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024
Suu Kyi created the role of state counselor to work around the military’s obstruction and became the de facto head of state.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
From the Revolutionary War until 1800, the Library Company served as the first de facto Library of Congress while the federal government was in Philadelphia.
—Elizabeth Webster, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Luzardo, as the de facto ace, needs to set the example among the group.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
The Israeli campaign in Gaza has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians, including many women and children, forced the overwhelming majority of people in Gaza to flee their homes and plunged more than half of Gaza’s population into a de facto famine.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
In New Jersey, a lawsuit filed last year by a former state legislator argued that the state Fish and Game Council, made up largely of appointees from hunting and fishing clubs, violates the State Constitution because its members function as a de facto legislative body.
—Jenna Russell, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Notably, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) also does not support the practice as a de facto solution.
—Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
The pros and cons of a possible de facto TikTok ban.
—Galen Druke, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2024
Trisha Thadani, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2023
The trend has accelerated under the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, amid U.S. criticism of Saudi human-rights violations.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2023
The portal has brought about de facto unfettered free agency in major college football and basketball.
—Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Mar. 2023
Senior centers across the country function as de facto community centers.
—Eliza Fawcett, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2023
The 16 women who had challenged the status quo, most notably Nancy Hopkins, the reluctant de facto leader, were thrilled but eager to return to their roles as elite scientists.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023
Another item in the package extends the de facto period of service for individuals serving on local boards and commissions beyond a looming February deadline and into April.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Jan. 2023
Previously, Disney had de facto control of the board as the district's largest landowner.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2023
The measure received unanimous support in the House and Senate and drew Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, to both chambers Thursday.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
Adverb
Dozens of measures have become law, ranging from a de facto ban on combustion engines in new cars by 2035 to tougher pollution caps on companies and a new carbon market for fuels.
—Ewa Krukowska, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024
Suu Kyi created the role of state counselor to work around the military’s obstruction and became the de facto head of state.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
From the Revolutionary War until 1800, the Library Company served as the first de facto Library of Congress while the federal government was in Philadelphia.
—Elizabeth Webster, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Luzardo, as the de facto ace, needs to set the example among the group.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
The Israeli campaign in Gaza has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians, including many women and children, forced the overwhelming majority of people in Gaza to flee their homes and plunged more than half of Gaza’s population into a de facto famine.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
In New Jersey, a lawsuit filed last year by a former state legislator argued that the state Fish and Game Council, made up largely of appointees from hunting and fishing clubs, violates the State Constitution because its members function as a de facto legislative body.
—Jenna Russell, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Notably, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) also does not support the practice as a de facto solution.
—Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
The pros and cons of a possible de facto TikTok ban.
—Galen Druke, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2024
Adjective
But many supported the move and came to regard it as a de facto safe consumption site, a model that exists in cities around the world and in New York, where people can use drugs in a supervised setting.
—Trisha Thadani, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2023
The trend has accelerated under the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, amid U.S. criticism of Saudi human-rights violations.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2023
The portal has brought about de facto unfettered free agency in major college football and basketball.
—Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Mar. 2023
Senior centers across the country function as de facto community centers.
—Eliza Fawcett, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2023
The 16 women who had challenged the status quo, most notably Nancy Hopkins, the reluctant de facto leader, were thrilled but eager to return to their roles as elite scientists.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023
Another item in the package extends the de facto period of service for individuals serving on local boards and commissions beyond a looming February deadline and into April.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Jan. 2023
Previously, Disney had de facto control of the board as the district's largest landowner.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2023
The measure received unanimous support in the House and Senate and drew Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, to both chambers Thursday.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'de facto.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near de facto
Cite this Entry
“De facto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de%20facto. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
de facto
1 of 2 adverb
de fac·to
di-ˈfak-tō, dā-, dē- 
: in reality : actually
these two constraints have been lifted, one de facto and one de jure—Susan Lee
Susan Leede facto
2 of 2 adjective1
: actual
especially
: being such in effect though not formally recognized see also de facto segregation at segregation
2
: exercising power as if legally constituted or authorized
a de facto government
a de facto judge
compare de jure
Etymology
Adverb
Medieval Latin, literally, from the fact
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