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 the actual starting salary for college graduates is closer to $56,000.
—
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Finding 53 among this group requires tough decisions even before any actual football activity has started.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
But Nassar was also wary of exposing the gap between the state’s authority and its actual power.
—Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
But the actual number is unknown and could be as high as 450,000, according to the CDC.
—Eva Flowe
may 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for actual
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Finding 53 among this group requires tough decisions even before any actual football activity has started.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
But Nassar was also wary of exposing the gap between the state’s authority and its actual power.
—Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
But the actual number is unknown and could be as high as 450,000, according to the CDC.
—Eva Flowe
may 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for actual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actual
Adjective
-
This left Aniya to couple up with KC, who moments before opened his door to no one, which led to a popular meme online, and let’s be real, the first of many meme-worthy moments from KC.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
-
However, certain features—like real-time GPS tracking, escape alerts, activity tracking and custom voice commands—typically require a subscription plan.—
Rachel Cortez,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Every few weeks, there's a new article based on a new theory with little to no factual basis.—
James Hill,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
In total, Kapoor received more than $6 million of illicit income from Location Ventures and its projects between 2018 and 2023, according to a factual statement filed with his plea agreement.—
Jay Weaver
June 6,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Attleboro managed a two-out walk but Salerno limited any true damage in the top of the eighth.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
-
Huang pitched herself as the true progressive in the race, saying Raman had drifted too close to the middle during her time on council.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actual. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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