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
All in all, the game is loaded across the board with minor upgrades that add up to a lot, along with a few actual big changes.
—
Chris Vannini, New York Times, 10 July 2025
As part of this collaboration, select Sephora locations will be offering free scoops of the actual rainbow sherbet on National Ice Cream Day, which is July 20.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 10 July 2025
There’s an ongoing desire to see F1’s actual stars represent the diverse and vast makeup of its fans — is why Dent wrote her female main character as a woman F1 principal.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2025
While the audience members could still speak on the item about to be deferred, Rodriguez said, doing so would mean the public wouldn’t have the chance to address commissioners if the item ever came up for an actual vote at a future meeting.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for actual
Chris Vannini, New York Times, 10 July 2025
As part of this collaboration, select Sephora locations will be offering free scoops of the actual rainbow sherbet on National Ice Cream Day, which is July 20.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 10 July 2025
There’s an ongoing desire to see F1’s actual stars represent the diverse and vast makeup of its fans — is why Dent wrote her female main character as a woman F1 principal.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2025
While the audience members could still speak on the item about to be deferred, Rodriguez said, doing so would mean the public wouldn’t have the chance to address commissioners if the item ever came up for an actual vote at a future meeting.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for actual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actual
Adjective
-
If no deal is reached by August, there is a real danger that President Trump will impose high tariffs.—
Myron Brilliant,
Time,
9 July 2025
-
When marriages seemed to fail, there was no real option to divorce.—
Ann Foster,
JSTOR Daily,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
The new world order is truth to truth, answer to query, whereby factual snippets are revered and rewarded.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Writers who draw on personal stories are often dogged by nonfiction’s prevailing imperative of factual precision.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
Now, as the families prepare for next week's sentencing hearing on July 23, Patterson and Ward are hoping to give readers a true sense of the four victims.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
-
The same's true for someone who is retired and taking taxable withdrawals from traditional 401(k) plans.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actual. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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