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

Downtown Sacramento businesses remain skeptical that the state’s July return-to-office mandate affecting roughly 95,000 employees will actually materialize, even as foot traffic sits at 85% of April 2019 levels and local leaders rethink the urban core’s heavy reliance on office space. — Ruyuan Li. Summary Produced By Ai Assistance, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026

The questions below cover what that Turkish price actually buys and why some people decide the long trip across the Atlantic is worthwhile. — Malana Vantyler, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026

Olivia Taylor, the assistant manager of the swim school, says clearing up misconceptions about what drowning actually looks like and getting anyone comfortable in and around the water, are some of the most important parts of teaching someone how to swim. — Monique John, CBS News, 24 June 2026

But determining which fads are actually recommended and effective takes more time and attention. — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 24 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