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

This approval means doctors can actually prescribe and implant it as a medical device. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Mar. 2026

So standing idly by while Palestinians are being beaten up by settlers is actually soldiers following orders. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026

This guide breaks down what to look for, based on your backyard, and which ones are actually worth the investment. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026

Add swimming pools and scoreboards … free rides AND free beer … go back to 1989 and build a monorail that actually goes to a stadium of the future. —Mark Woods, Florida Times-Union, 13 Mar. 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

• contextually
• unusually
• dually

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