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

In the finale, Rick shoots Jim, setting off a line of crossfire that ultimately kills his girlfriend Chelsea (Amy Lou Wood) before Sritala (Lek Patravadi) reveals that Jim was actually Rick’s father. —Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025

Tailgates are one of the few social events at which unexpected drop-ins are actually expected. —Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025

There’s not enough time to actually be lazy! —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025

However, Drummond's attorney, Bryan Huffman, noted there was no evidence presented during the hearing that showed Drummond actually shot any of the victims. —Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 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