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 of actually

• 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

My favorite space actually sat outside, a deep wooden deck that virtually doubled the living space with its own dining and lounge areas. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

Perhaps the most iconic footballer of them all is actually already in KC, as Lionel Messi arrived with the Argentina team over the weekend. —Kellis Robinett, Kansas City Star, 2 June 2026

Here’s a full breakdown of what zone 2 cardio is, who’s behind it, what a major 2025 research review found, and how to use it in a way that actually makes sense for your life. —Allison Palmer june 2, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026

That consolidation is the backdrop to nearly every other heritage sourcing story — the reason chefs, breeders, shoppers and policy advocates are paying closer attention to where the next generation of grains and meats will actually come from. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026

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

• dually
• contextually
• unusually

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