actually

adverb

ac·​tu·​al·​ly ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lē How to pronounce actually (audio)
-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
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.
Humans are actually a much bigger threat to sharks, killing up to 100 million sharks per year as a result of overfishing, according to the Shark Research Institute. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 8 June 2025 There are few enough endorsements of any kind that actually move votes. Eric Lach, New Yorker, 8 June 2025 Yet that doesn’t mean many homeless residents are actually ending up in court. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2025 Annual deficits and the overall debt actually climbed during the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, and during Trump’s first presidency, even after sweeping tax cuts. Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for actually

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of actually was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Actually.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actually. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

actually

adverb
ac·​tu·​al·​ly ˈak-ch(ə-w)ə-lē How to pronounce actually (audio)
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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