actuality

noun

ac·​tu·​al·​i·​ty ˌak-chə-ˈwa-lə-tē How to pronounce actuality (audio)
ˌak-shə-
plural actualities
1
: the quality or state of being actual
2
: something that is actual : fact, reality
possible risks which have been seized upon as actualitiesT. S. Eliot
Phrases
in actuality
: in actual fact

Examples of actuality in a Sentence

The actuality was quite different from the theory. the actuality of the Abominable Snowman is not taken seriously by scientists
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.
In actuality, our cosmic neighborhood is actually a comparatively rare sight. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 Apr. 2025 But, in actuality, this is not a concern that you—a reader in 2025—need have, since all internet falsehood was outlawed long ago by the Veracity Resolution of 2135. Graham Techler, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2025 In actuality, many successful businesses start small with entrepreneurs selling from home or offering services part-time. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 Gass said that in actuality, the current weather pattern, which began dropping rain into the region on Thursday, is in keeping with how many early spring patterns behave. Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for actuality

Word History

Etymology

Middle English actualite "capacity for action, effective power," borrowed from Medieval Latin āctuālitāt-, āctuālitās, from Late Latin āctuālis actual + Latin -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of actuality was in 1587

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Cite this Entry

“Actuality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actuality. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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