actual

adjective

ac·​tu·​al ˈak-ch(ə-w)əl How to pronounce actual (audio)
-sh(ə-w)əl;
-chü-əl, 
-shü-
Synonyms of actual
1
a
: existing in fact or reality
actual events
actual and imagined conditions
b
: not false or apparent
actual costs
c
—used for emphasis
This is the actual room in which my grandfather was born.
2
: existing or occurring at the time
caught in the actual commission of a crime
3
obsolete : active

Examples of actual in a Sentence

They signed the agreement in the spring, but the actual sale wasn't made until that summer. You deposit money in a bank account but the actual money is not held there. The actual cost of the repair was much higher than the estimate.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
How fast the benefits of a truly life-changing technology flow through the economy is the actual measure of how fast it is being adopted. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 Some opening day effects are long gone, such as the illusion created by actual shifting doors at the start of the attraction, or visions of tumbling rubble near its beginning. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 That core body temp drop and melatonin bump are the actual mechanisms your tracker is picking up when readiness scores climb. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026 However, researchers have rarely fabricated a diatomic Kagome lattice in an actual material. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for actual

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "active, existing in fact," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French actuel, borrowed from Late Latin āctuālis, from Latin āctus act entry 1 + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of actual was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actual. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

actual

adjective
ac·​tu·​al ˈak-ch(ə-w)əl How to pronounce actual (audio)
ˈak-sh(ə-w)əl
: existing in fact and not merely as a possibility
actuality
ˌak-chə-ˈwal-ət-ē, 
-shə-
noun
actualization
ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lə-ˈzā-shən, 
-sh(ə-w)ə-
noun
actualize
-ˌīz
verb

Legal Definition

actual

adjective
ac·​tu·​al
: existing in fact or reality compare constructive
actually adverb
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