actually

adverb

ac·​tu·​al·​ly ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lē 

-sh(ə-w)ə-lē;

ˈaksh-lē,

ˈaks-

1

: in act or in fact : really

trying to find out what actually happened

won't actually arrive for an hour

2

: in point of fact

—used to suggest something unexpected

was surprised to learn that she could actually speak German

Synonyms

• admittedly
• forsooth
• frankly
• honestly
• indeed
• really
• truly
• truthfully
• verily

Examples of actually in a Sentence

actually, I'd rather spend the evening at home

I call her Aunt Emily, but she is actually my cousin, not my aunt.

Recent Examples on the Web

In some ways, personalized ads are a win-win: Advertisers reach people who are actually interested in their products, and consumers get adverts that are actually relevant. —David Nield, Popular Science, 4 Apr. 2024

But discussions about how to actually protect NATO and its plans from Trump have been fraught. —John Hudson, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024

New data from astronomer John Irwin shows the sun is actually a bit bigger than previously thought, Forbes reports. —Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 4 Apr. 2024

This isn’t the first Final Four Eagle has called, actually — he’s called a previous one for the international feed. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024

But Berzin wondered in looking at the discrepancies in women’s spending on healthcare, how their experience of it actually was? —Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2024

Thankfully, there are actually quite a few formulas that can get the job done without slicking. —Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024

After Haman's plot is foiled, the Jews are actually still in danger — because the king's decree to kill the Jews has gone out, and can't be repealed. —Deena Prichep, NPR, 23 Mar. 2024

Winds could actually pick up in intensity for a bit after sunset, gusting to 35 or 40 mph at times into the early overnight. —Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English actuelly, from actuel, actual actual + -ly -ly entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

actually

adverb

ac·​tu·​al·​ly ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lē 

ˈak-sh(ə-w)ə-lē

: in fact or in truth : really

she actually spoke Spanish

actually, I didn't want to go