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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de facto
Adjective
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Countrywide, wine, beer, spirits and other newer forms of alcohol are categorized according to beverage type and are taxed often regardless of actual alcohol content or other states’ policies.
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This anxiety often leads to rumination, where individuals endlessly ponder potential outcomes without actual preparation, mistakenly equating thinking with problem-solving.
Adjective
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But the real irony is that the British have teamed up with the Indigenous Seneca population, who loathe the French.
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All her friends and family have tried to convince her this is not a real situation and she is being scammed.
Adjective
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Award-winning factual producer Proper Content is set to shutter amid tough market conditions.
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Sotomayor, writing for the liberal justices, accused the majority of cutting the litigation short and argued that unresolved factual questions should have been returned to the lower courts.
Adjective
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This underscores how Apple's control over its devices, from hardware to software, limits true ownership and poses challenges for long-term digital preservation.
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If religion is corrupted by breaking down the wall of separation, much the same is true of the state.
Adjective
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Meneghetti invites guests to slow down, relax, be present in their surroundings, and experience something genuine and understated rather than staged—the very essence of Istria.
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Becoming synonymous with the very idea of the dictionary wasn’t by any means a given for Webster.
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Cite this Entry
“De facto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de%20facto. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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