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
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While the patty is shaped to resemble a rack of ribs, USA Today reports the sandwich actually includes little rib meat. Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 21 Nov. 2024 The future of work is actually quite bright for those who learn how to leverage AI—how to wield this new technology to become more efficient, more effective and more accurate. Vidya Plainfield, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 There were several opportunities for this to actually happen. Kyle Eustice, SPIN, 21 Nov. 2024 The switch in incorporation doesn't actually involve anything moving. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near actually

Cite this Entry

“Actually.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actually. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on actually

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