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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Recent Examples of actual
The actual costs for things such as meat, dairy, produce, frozen foods and cleaning products were compared to the state's median household income to determine where people spend the most.
—
Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
That is an actual house in London, those are actual care homes, and so on?
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Of course, this helps improve quality, but there’s another benefit beyond the actual car Nissan is building.
—Brian Moody, AJC.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Shoppers can also buy the actual Velvetiser for about $150, with packets of shredded chocolate for sale as well, enabling them to bring the Hotel Chocolat experience home.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for actual
Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
That is an actual house in London, those are actual care homes, and so on?
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Of course, this helps improve quality, but there’s another benefit beyond the actual car Nissan is building.
—Brian Moody, AJC.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Shoppers can also buy the actual Velvetiser for about $150, with packets of shredded chocolate for sale as well, enabling them to bring the Hotel Chocolat experience home.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for actual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actual
Adjective
-
This maneuver required immense torque and real-time motion control to avoid collisions.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Once Tyler and Beau got there to Victory Lane, right before the confetti popped and rained down and reminded Reddick that yes, this was real, and yes, Jordan was bear-hugging him, and yes, a childhood dream had come true — a new memory took place.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Below, a drill-down on Banijay’s biggest drama plays at the Screenings and a selection of factual shows and formats.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
-
However, such information, while factual, is inappropriate for sports commentary due to its length.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But despite his characteristic command and media savvy, Jackson’s campaign never gained true momentum, scoring mixed results.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This, however, is not true of US Skimo, which has been rapidly professionalizing as a governing body since the sport was announced as a future Winter Olympic event back in 2021.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actual. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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