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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In the season’s last few episodes, however, the show leans hard into its real-world inspiration, casting actual pros like Collin Morikawa as themselves.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
4 June 2025
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But in terms of actual similarities between character and person, there’s only the vague echo of Malkmus’ own journey from the Central Valley suburb of Stockton, California, to New York City in pursuit of rock & roll.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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That’s the real opportunity for the industry today.—
Shahar Man,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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JoJo Siwa has been on a real rollercoaster ride over the past month.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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In turn, Bivins brought in another friend to execute the deadly plot, according to an FBI criminal complaint and the factual statement filed with his plea agreement.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2025
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Have three response templates ready: factual correction for misinformation, values reaffirmation for criticism, and security protocol for threats.—
Gillian Oakenfull,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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The film also stars Yul Vazquez, Ashlie Atkinson and Spencer Watson. Co-written by Greengrass and Brad Inglesby, The Lost Bus is inspired by true events featured in Lizzie Johnson’s 2021 book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 June 2025
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Gödel showed that any system of axioms in mathematics permits the formulation of statements that can’t be shown to be true or false.—
Philip Ball,
Wired News,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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This controversial practice— likened to razing a forest just to catch a few birds— tears up fragile seafloor habitats, indiscriminately kills marine organisms, releases carbon stored in ocean sediment, and undermines the very ecosystems these protections were designed to defend.—
Daphne Ewing-Chow,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Legislators initially voted 5-4 to approve this year’s budget for the first time at the very end of last year, on Dec. 31, before White vetoed it.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“De facto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de%20facto. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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