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

• admittedly
• forsooth
• frankly
• honestly
• indeed
• really
• truly
• truthfully
• verily

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

Agatha All Along is actually the show’s fourth title, following previous titles including Agatha: Darhold Diaries and Agatha: Coven of Chaos. —Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 21 July 2024

And, remarkably, with a mere three weeks together, those players actually are playing like a team. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 July 2024

The blend is actually mostly rye whiskey, a 70 percent to 30 percent ratio of rye to bourbon according to a rep—specifically seven-year-old Knob Creek Rye and nine-year-old Knob Creek Bourbon, the two expressions that anchor the lineup. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 21 July 2024

All that time, which felt enormous, like hours, had actually been fifty-two minutes. —Sarah Braunstein, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024

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

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