as in real
existing in fact and not merely as a possibility
the actual outcome of the election was quite different from what everybody had expected
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of actual
Schools should also not pretend that a drill is an actual active shooter event, as happened in Snowflake, says Schildkraut.
—
Alana Semuels, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Below, the two — whose FNL jersey numbers finally give actual meaning to the nonsensical 6-7 meme — put the ball down and talk life then and now.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
But the actual technology itself, the idea of artificial intelligence and synthetic creations that are lifelike and seem real — that’s an absolute threat.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
The cost comes out to $4 per person, however, the actual price may depend on the availability of products and customer selections.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for actual
Alana Semuels, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Below, the two — whose FNL jersey numbers finally give actual meaning to the nonsensical 6-7 meme — put the ball down and talk life then and now.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
But the actual technology itself, the idea of artificial intelligence and synthetic creations that are lifelike and seem real — that’s an absolute threat.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
The cost comes out to $4 per person, however, the actual price may depend on the availability of products and customer selections.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for actual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actual
Adjective
-
This was a golden age for these guys, ten years before Giuliani and any kind of real government crackdown, and a few years after Coppola’s Godfather.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The situation for Ridge Holland, who also uses his real name Luke Menzies, has reportedly worsened.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Headquartered in London, Longwave will focus on factual content for the global TV market across all unscripted genres – from investigative series, factual entertainment formats through to human interest stories.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
-
This factual omission extended as well to his professional life.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The interior of the shoe stays true to the brand’s line of classic winter boots, lined with a plush wool blend.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Nov. 2025
-
One mailer in particular said that Persson and fellow Democratic candidates wanted to build apartments on 300 acres of green space, which isn’t true, Persson said.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actual. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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