Actually - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT actually /ˈæktʃ(əw)əli/ /ˈæktʃuəli/ IPA guide

You might think your mom would be thrilled to open a birthday present and find a live rabbit, but actually that's the last thing she's hoping for. Actually is an adverb that means "in reality."

Actually can be used two ways: first, as an adverb meaning "really." You might say, "It's hard to know which of these cookies will taste best without actually sampling them all." The other way to use the word actually is to imply that your expectations have been proven wrong, that the opposite of what you thought is true. You could say, "The hotel room looked spotless, but actually it turned out to have bedbugs."

Definitions of actually

adverb in actual fact “to be nominally but not actually independent” “no one actually saw the shark” “large meteorites actually come from the asteroid belt” synonyms: really
adverb used to imply that one would expect the fact to be the opposite of that stated; surprisingly “you may actually be doing the right thing by walking out” “she actually spoke Latin” synonyms: in reality
adverb at the present moment “the transmission screen shows the picture that is actually on the air”
adverb as a sentence modifier to add slight emphasis “actually, we all help clear up after a meal” “actually, I haven't seen the film” “I'm not all that surprised actually” “she hasn't proved to be too satisfactory, actually”

Pronunciation US /ˈæktʃ(əw)əli/ UK /ˈæktʃuəli/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘actually'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family

Vocabulary lists containing actually

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