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
But if your concerned friend starts worrying about AI data centers literally causing a worldwide water catastrophe, the actual numbers involved should hopefully put those worries to rest.
—
Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
The actual fact of the matter is, that this is a bustling, diverse, beautiful city.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026
Beyond the actual content of the jokes, what made this particular outing fun was how giggly both Lutz and Meyers get.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 June 2026
But the actual offer is currently being preceded by a push to raise $1 billion in the form of debt from foreign international investors, and a separate private sale of shares to high-net-worth individuals and corporates through Nigerian issuing houses.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for actual
Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
The actual fact of the matter is, that this is a bustling, diverse, beautiful city.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026
Beyond the actual content of the jokes, what made this particular outing fun was how giggly both Lutz and Meyers get.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 June 2026
But the actual offer is currently being preceded by a push to raise $1 billion in the form of debt from foreign international investors, and a separate private sale of shares to high-net-worth individuals and corporates through Nigerian issuing houses.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for actual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actual
Adjective
-
Not only without the ball, their were moments of real quality when Cape Verde recovered possession, zipping the ball around the Spanish pressure and often looking to play their way out with short passes into midfield.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
In the scientific community, there are a few outliers, but by and large, there’s a pretty universal agreement among scientists that the climate crisis is real and important.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Mistaken identity is supposed to be a factual decision, like most offsides, so the referee does not need to watch it back.—
Ben Burrows,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
-
While this is essential, factual accuracy on its own does not make a statement credible.—
Jennifer Best,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Life comes at you fast, and that could not be truer in the world of baseball.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actual. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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