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

• concrete
• de facto
• effective
• existent
• factual
• genuine
• real
• sure-enough
• true
• very

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

There’s an ongoing desire to see F1’s actual stars represent the diverse and vast makeup of its fans — is why Dent wrote her female main character as a woman F1 principal. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2025

While the audience members could still speak on the item about to be deferred, Rodriguez said, doing so would mean the public wouldn’t have the chance to address commissioners if the item ever came up for an actual vote at a future meeting. —Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025

In response to this low compliance, President Trump issued an executive order in February to enforce radical price transparency, requiring actual prices, not estimates. —Cynthia A Fisher, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025

The idea is facially absurd, but that is ultimately what this opinion is opening the door to, while not having the integrity to make any determination on the actual merits of the unlawful proclamation. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 June 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