actual

adjective

ac·​tu·​al ˈak-ch(ə-w)əl 

-sh(ə-w)əl;

-chü-əl, 

-shü-

1

a

: existing in fact or reality

actual events

actual and imagined conditions

b

: not false or apparent

actual costs

c

—used for emphasis

This is the actual room in which my grandfather was born.

2

: existing or occurring at the time

caught in the actual commission of a crime

3

obsolete : active

Synonyms of actual

• real
• factual
• true

Examples of actual in a Sentence

They signed the agreement in the spring, but the actual sale wasn't made until that summer.

You deposit money in a bank account but the actual money is not held there.

The actual cost of the repair was much higher than the estimate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rag & Bone Miramar Knit High-Rise Wide-Leg Jeans There is also such a thing as actual sweatpant jeans. —Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025

Marlene works as an online psychic but her actual psychic capacity is limited to visions of her mother. —Hazlitt, 23 Dec. 2025

Now is the time to narrow it down to what your actual vision is for the big day. —Katie Henwood, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2025

Johnson's aides said the plan is simply not feasible and wouldn't generate actual money from the city, claiming there is no realistic way to find investors to buy debt for things like unpaid parking tickets when the city has no authority to seize vehicles or place liens on property for such debt. —Todd Feurer, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "active, existing in fact," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French actuel, borrowed from Late Latin āctuālis, from Latin āctus act entry 1 + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing actual

• actual cash value
• in actual fact

Kids Definition

actual

adjective

ac·​tu·​al ˈak-ch(ə-w)əl 

ˈak-sh(ə-w)əl

: existing in fact and not merely as a possibility

actuality

ˌak-chə-ˈwal-ət-ē, 

-shə-

noun

actualization

ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lə-ˈzā-shən, 

-sh(ə-w)ə-

noun

actualize

-ˌīz

verb

Legal Definition

actual

adjective

ac·​tu·​al

: existing in fact or reality compare constructive

actually adverb