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
The banana plant is actually the world’s largest herb.
—
Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 27 July 2025
When Webb takes a picture of a distant galaxy, astronomers like me are actually seeing what that galaxy looked like billions of years ago.
—Adi Foord, Space.com, 26 July 2025
The incident comes just one day after a confusing fire alarm announcement rang out near Hall H and Ballroom 20, despite no alarm actually being heard.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 26 July 2025
Track how long tasks actually take Try time-tracking for just one day.
—Luciana Paulise, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for actually
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Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 27 July 2025
When Webb takes a picture of a distant galaxy, astronomers like me are actually seeing what that galaxy looked like billions of years ago.
—Adi Foord, Space.com, 26 July 2025
The incident comes just one day after a confusing fire alarm announcement rang out near Hall H and Ballroom 20, despite no alarm actually being heard.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 26 July 2025
Track how long tasks actually take Try time-tracking for just one day.
—Luciana Paulise, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for actually
Cite this Entry
“Actually.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actually. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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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