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actually

adverb
ac·​tu·​al·​ly | \ ˈak-ch(É™-w)É™-lÄ“ How to pronounce actually (audio) , -sh(É™-w)É™-lÄ“; ˈaksh-lÄ“, ˈaks-\

Definition of actually

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 More Example Sentences Learn More about actually

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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

 Those aren't the words of someone who is actually ready to make the best of it. — Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, "Ask Amy: Snubbed child gets burned as an adult," 3 Sep. 2019 The only thing that actually matters are the relationships you value. — Washington Post, "Carolyn Hax: Nana nana boo-boo? Don’t be petty about the title ‘Grandma.’," 1 Sep. 2019 This actually pushed the shoreline a quarter mile out to sea. — Wade Graham, Smithsonian, "Why Molokai, With All Its Wonders, Is the Least Developed of Hawai’i’s Islands," 31 Aug. 2019 Absent dialogue with those who formed it, the past is actually always just the past, a bulb dormant beneath a blanket of icy indifference. — Richard Brady, National Review, "Valley of the Shadow," 31 Aug. 2019 The space between galaxies is actually very, very cold. — Scientific American, "Nanomachines, Jellyfish Hugs and Hurricane Dorian From Space: The Week's Best Science GIFs," 30 Aug. 2019 There may be even fewer facilities that have actually met the new requirements. — Elizabeth Koh, orlandosentinel.com, "As Hurricane Dorian nears, most Florida nursing homes lack 4 days of backup power for AC," 30 Aug. 2019 Pustular psoriasis is a little different, and can actually be quite serious. — Lambeth Hochwald, Health.com, "What to Know About Pustular Psoriasis, According to Dermatologists," 29 Aug. 2019 Some companies are actually trying to take a stand against the kiss-up culture, Sutton says. — Chris Woolston, Quartz at Work, "How to deal with an abusive boss," 29 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'actually.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of actually

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for actually

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

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More Definitions for actually

actually

adverb
How to pronounce actually (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of actually

—used to refer to what is true or real
—used to stress that a statement is true especially when it differs in some way from what might have been thought or expected

See the full definition for actually in the English Language Learners Dictionary

actually

adverb
ac·​tu·​al·​ly | \ ˈak-chÉ™-wÉ™-lÄ“ How to pronounce actually (audio) \

Kids Definition of actually

: in fact : really It's not a lie. It actually happened.

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More from Merriam-Webster on actually

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for actually

Spanish Central: Translation of actually

Nglish: Translation of actually for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of actually for Arabic Speakers

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