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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of actual
Your biggest star … well, OK the biggest one in recent years is playing in (actual) Los Angeles, but the second-biggest star of this era (Mike Trout) just played 130 games for the first time since 2019, and … had a career-worst season.
—
Levi Weaver, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Koma, 38, shared a post in tribute to his wife on the actual day of her birthday featuring two photos of them — including one in a recording studio.
—Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Kritcher cofounded Inertia Enterprises in August to bring the power to the actual grid.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
None were definitively the fault of Waymo’s actual self-driving technology.
—Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for actual
Levi Weaver, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Koma, 38, shared a post in tribute to his wife on the actual day of her birthday featuring two photos of them — including one in a recording studio.
—Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Kritcher cofounded Inertia Enterprises in August to bring the power to the actual grid.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
None were definitively the fault of Waymo’s actual self-driving technology.
—Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for actual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actual
Adjective
-
Will his shooting and floater game give enough offensive jolt to add some real spacing around a roster that, even with Kevin Durant, seems notably deficient in terms of spacing?—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Come for some of the best actresses of our time as power-hungry witches; stay for Stevie Nicks' cameo as a real one.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Off Course was co-commissioned for the BBC by Catherine Catton, head of factual entertainment and events, and Eddie Doyle, head of Northern Ireland commissioning.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
29 Sep. 2025
-
May acted as his own attorney at a hearing that included prosecutors showing charts explaining in stark, factual ways what was on each video May is charged with distributing.—
Jeffrey Collins,
Twin Cities,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Watching my great-grandmother, grandmother, mother and aunt serve as loyal members of this sorority shaped my understanding of what true sisterhood and service look like.—
Essence,
Essence,
3 Oct. 2025
-
With markets looking unperturbed, that might turn out true sooner if nothing serious comes in the way of the bulls.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actual. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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