de facto

adjective

Definition of de factonext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 de facto The portal has brought about de facto unfettered free agency in major college football and basketball. — Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Mar. 2023 Senior centers across the country function as de facto community centers. — Eliza Fawcett, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2023 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 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
  1. actual
  2. real
  3. factual
  4. true
  5. very
Adjective
  • Tate’s case previously included three counts of rape, four counts of actual bodily harm, two counts of human trafficking and one count of controlling prostitution for gain.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 19 July 2026
  • Now, here are two guys who know how to build, if not quite an actual Underground Railroad, one hell of a funicular.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 18 July 2026
Definition of actual
Adjective
  • The stage will combine an LED volume wall, advanced camera tracking and real-time 3D engines to blend physical sets and actors with digital environments.
    — Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 22 July 2026
  • But beyond those dates, bookings for June 10 through July 19 totaled 430K nights, roughly flat compared to last year, suggesting no real uplift on those days, Linda Rollins, an AirDNA research analyst told the Miami Herald.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Definition of real
Adjective
  • Sanders noted that the president’s proclamation, which imposed a partial travel ban on holders of Antigua and Barbuda passports, contained several factual errors.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • The service has launched on the App Store, Google Play and a dedicated website with more than 100 titles across crime, drama, reality, dating, factual entertainment and docs.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 14 July 2026
Definition of factual
Adjective
  • The same may be true for military personnel, law enforcement officers, commercial drivers or others who are subject to strict workplace drug-testing programs.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 19 July 2026
  • This is the true bureaucracy standing in the way of housing that families can afford — not federal programs or subsidies helping those very families stay housed.
    — Jake Day, Baltimore Sun, 19 July 2026
Definition of true
Adjective
  • Asking how your home will be promoted, and whether it will be listed in the MLS from the very beginning, can help ensure your property has the strongest possible start.
    — Heartland MLS®, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
  • But recommending that investors reject the very issuance needed to complete the acquisition appears to make clear that management no longer believes the transaction should proceed on its current terms.
    — Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of very

Browse Nearby Words

defacing
de facto
defalcation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“De facto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de%20facto. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on de facto

Nglish: Translation of de facto for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All