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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As part of this collaboration, select Sephora locations will be offering free scoops of the actual rainbow sherbet on National Ice Cream Day, which is July 20.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
10 July 2025
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All in all, the game is loaded across the board with minor upgrades that add up to a lot, along with a few actual big changes.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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The only thing more impressive is the cast's ability to maintain real, long-term relationships despite spending nearly two decades playing some of the most awful characters on TV.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
9 July 2025
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When marriages seemed to fail, there was no real option to divorce.—
Ann Foster,
JSTOR Daily,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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The new world order is truth to truth, answer to query, whereby factual snippets are revered and rewarded.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Writers who draw on personal stories are often dogged by nonfiction’s prevailing imperative of factual precision.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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The same's true for someone who is retired and taking taxable withdrawals from traditional 401(k) plans.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
14 July 2025
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Among the property's true highlights is its exceptional dining scene— beloved by both discerning locals and hotel guests.—
Erica Wertheim Zohar,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Some words are censored, while others are popularized through online memes and trends, meaning that the very structure underlying social media is responsible for rerouting our language in real time.—
Adam Aleksic,
People.com,
14 July 2025
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The composers also had to navigate the IP’s legacy, in particular, that of John Williams’ original heroic themes – the very DNA of Superman.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“De facto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de%20facto. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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