actually

adverb

ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lē How to pronounce actually (audio)
Definition of actuallynext
1
as in honestly
to tell the truth actually, I'd rather spend the evening at home

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in really
in actual fact I call her Aunt Emily, but she is actually my cousin, not my aunt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of actually Neither TeraWulf, Anthropic, nor Google appears able to verify how much of that blend is actually clean. — Petala Ironcloud, ArsTechnica, 7 Sep. 2026 Kurt's key takeaways What gets my attention here is how much work this aircraft could actually take on. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026 In the days leading up to her having to leave her family, Fielder actually lived at their home with them. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 7 Sep. 2026 The film is more of a dramatization than any kind of reenactment of a conflict that actually happened. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for actually
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actually
  1. honestly
  2. really
  3. frankly
  4. very
  5. indeed
  6. truly
Adverb
  • Carnaval snake charmer turned opera performer Ziegfeld came to the role honestly.
    — David R. Martin, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • And honestly, what a relief — the secondhand embarrassment from his rejection earlier in the season was too much to bear.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of honestly
Adverb
  • The player who really caught the eye, though, was Ao Tanaka, whose superb performance helped Leeds control midfield.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • And although showing the documentary in New York was exciting, what Valencia and Zegarra really wanted was to release it in Peru.
    — Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of really
Adverb
  • The only people who seem to, frankly, are the leaders at Western Michigan, the ones with the biggest complaint about this and the ones who seem to be handling it the most maturely.
    — Will Leitch, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • This is, quite frankly, baloney — who’s to say the Manhunter didn’t kill and take the form of someone already living in the town?
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of frankly
Adverb
  • The real-life aspect of the things that inspired me to write this book were so much grimmer than the book itself and not actually very funny.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • At the very least, a loss would have quelled any desire to inflict further consequences on Michigan.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of very
Adverb
  • Oh, and Vienna’s the most livable city in the world, according to The Economist—and the quality of life inside the Rosewood is very good indeed.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • But the basic desire for this film was indeed the contrast between a specific territory and this group of young people.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of indeed
Adverb
  • America could have responded to that tragedy by creating a kinder world, one that truly honors the dead.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The first two interceptions weren’t great, but the third one was truly incomprehensible.
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of truly

Browse Nearby Words

actualizing
actually
actuate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Actually.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actually. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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