as in real
existing in fact and not merely as a possibility
the actual outcome of the election was quite different from what everybody had expected
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Recent Examples of actual
As great a tale as that is, it's made even better by the casting of actual thespians from Sing Sing.
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Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
In terms of actual whole foods, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and chard also have a high vitamin E content and are therefore among the best foods to eat for eye health.
—Maria Berentzen, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
Nearly every character goes by their actual name in A Complete Unknown.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024
The result is audio that is more expansive than a single speaker can output, with some actual low end to it.
—Brad Moon, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for actual 
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
In terms of actual whole foods, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and chard also have a high vitamin E content and are therefore among the best foods to eat for eye health.
—Maria Berentzen, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
Nearly every character goes by their actual name in A Complete Unknown.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024
The result is audio that is more expansive than a single speaker can output, with some actual low end to it.
—Brad Moon, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for actual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actual
Adjective
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The editing was also choppy at times and there seemed no real flow to the season in terms of tribe dynamics.Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
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What's next for the Red Sox? Ideally for them, the Red Sox could add another starter, and FanSided's Zachary Rotman feels like this is a real possibility.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The results pointed to the success of dramas including All Creatures Great and Small, which airs on PBS in the States, and factual shows like Captain Tom: Where Did The Money Go?.Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2024
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This article includes reporting from The Associated Press fairness meter Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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This is true of baking, and even more so of risotto.Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
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Worse still, the falsehood was a double-down of the AI insisting that the remark was true.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near actual
Cite this Entry
“Actual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actual. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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