as in actual
existing in fact and not merely as a possibility
with the death of his father, he became the de facto head of the family
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Recent Examples of de facto
The 16 women who had challenged the status quo, most notably Nancy Hopkins, the reluctant de facto leader, were thrilled but eager to return to their roles as elite scientists.
—
Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023
The measure received unanimous support in the House and Senate and drew Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, to both chambers Thursday.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
Beauty Turns Individuals into Communities Beauty salons and barber shops have traditionally played the role of de facto community centers in many places around the world.
—Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Pollard only lasted a handful of seasons, and in short order, the NFL erected its own de facto color barrier in 1933, thanks in large part to the efforts of George Preston Marshall, the then-Boston Redskins owner.
—Robert Silverman, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for de facto
Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023
The measure received unanimous support in the House and Senate and drew Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, to both chambers Thursday.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
Beauty Turns Individuals into Communities Beauty salons and barber shops have traditionally played the role of de facto community centers in many places around the world.
—Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Pollard only lasted a handful of seasons, and in short order, the NFL erected its own de facto color barrier in 1933, thanks in large part to the efforts of George Preston Marshall, the then-Boston Redskins owner.
—Robert Silverman, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for de facto
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de facto
Adjective
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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
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In response to this low compliance, President Trump issued an executive order in February to enforce radical price transparency, requiring actual prices, not estimates.—
Cynthia A Fisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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The person behind the schoolboy video, which defended Duterte, claimed to the news agency that the views shared were collected from real students.—
Cecilia Hult,
Fortune,
28 June 2025
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Jordan Campbell: What Filipe Luis has created at Flamengo is a real testament to what having a clear coaching vision can do.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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This expansive series was edited by Paul E. Blackwood, a scientist and educator with the US Office of Education, who also wrote government bulletins and surveys on science education research As interest in children’s science books grew, many educators stressed the importance of factual accuracy.—
Jessica George,
JSTOR Daily,
25 June 2025
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Limited training data, large language model design and a lack of real-world experience can create responses that meet the best probable response instead of factual answers.—
Gaurav Basra,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Beyond all of the twists and many, many, many turns that kept viewers tuned in every Tuesday night, the core of the show was about true female friendship and the loyalty that comes with that, no matter what.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2025
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This milieu is both true to history and solves one of the series’ longstanding structural flaws.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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What used to be a very niche field with only a small handful of offerings has become a cottage industry full of contenders and pretenders, and any number of startups offering a readymade conversion for your bike.—
Michael Venutolo-Mantovani,
Wired News,
20 June 2025
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The truth is, the very data meant to illuminate the path can become a labyrinth of pitfalls if not navigated with caution and a clear strategy.—
Ramalakshmi Murugan,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“De facto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de%20facto. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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