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
Looking for more ways to let your inner child play with your (actual) child?
—
Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 6 Mar. 2026
John’s insistence on using the George office for anything but actual work related to the magazine, which is perennially on the verge of collapse, is going to give Berman a heart attack.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
With so many touchscreens and digital displays, actual buttons or switches can serve as functional, texture-rich details.
—Beth Livesay, AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026
While diplomats talk about what to do with the key oil chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz closed, the actual battle for low-cost and robust energy will be won through the integration of physics, subsurface engineering, and advanced computation.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for actual
Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 6 Mar. 2026
John’s insistence on using the George office for anything but actual work related to the magazine, which is perennially on the verge of collapse, is going to give Berman a heart attack.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
With so many touchscreens and digital displays, actual buttons or switches can serve as functional, texture-rich details.
—Beth Livesay, AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026
While diplomats talk about what to do with the key oil chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz closed, the actual battle for low-cost and robust energy will be won through the integration of physics, subsurface engineering, and advanced computation.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for actual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actual
Adjective
-
There are worse places to steal away for a work call back to the real world, or to finish a book.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Is that in any way a real check on Live Nation’s power?—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Whether this internal awareness constitutes the kind of corporate knowledge that supports liability is a central factual question for the jury to decide.—
Carolina Rossini,
The Conversation,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Overall, responses were 18% less likely to contain factual mistakes.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
To make money talks less tense, prioritize choices that reflect your true worth.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
-
That has certainly been true of artificial intelligence.—
Rebecca Winthrop,
Washington Post,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actual. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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