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

• 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

While this trend may appear to present a market opportunity for retailers considering local sourcing strategies, the gap between consumer intent and actual purchasing behavior remains significant. —Shelley E. Kohan, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

The comments in the thread suggest that the official website selling F1 tickets is an agent, while the circuit is the actual seller. —Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025

The actual rich keep finding new places to stash themselves away—on superyachts, in underground bunkers, off the planet altogether—and yet spectacles of wealth are now accessible 24/7 through our devices. —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025

Advertisement Which was more nerve-wracking, the actual audition or the performance in the movie? —Barry Levitt, Time, 15 Aug. 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