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
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
So does your shorter shower or unwatered lawn actually make a difference?
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Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
5 July 2026
This same format actually applies to individual episodes as well.
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Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2026
But that buy-in has to actually be fortified by something tangible.
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Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
5 July 2026
Is there a way for a non-Jew to see past the swirling, anti-Jewish conspiracy theories and debates about Israel and actually learn something from Judaism that could improve their lives?
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See All Example Sentences for actually
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Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
5 July 2026
This same format actually applies to individual episodes as well.
—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2026
But that buy-in has to actually be fortified by something tangible.
—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
5 July 2026
Is there a way for a non-Jew to see past the swirling, anti-Jewish conspiracy theories and debates about Israel and actually learn something from Judaism that could improve their lives?
—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
5 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for actually
Cite this Entry
“Actually.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actually. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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