as in actual
existing in fact and not merely as a possibility
with the death of his father, he became the de facto head of the family
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Recent Examples of de facto
The 16 women who had challenged the status quo, most notably Nancy Hopkins, the reluctant de facto leader, were thrilled but eager to return to their roles as elite scientists.
—
Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023
Another item in the package extends the de facto period of service for individuals serving on local boards and commissions beyond a looming February deadline and into April.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Jan. 2023
Previously, Disney had de facto control of the board as the district's largest landowner.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2023
The measure received unanimous support in the House and Senate and drew Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, to both chambers Thursday.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for de facto 
Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023
Another item in the package extends the de facto period of service for individuals serving on local boards and commissions beyond a looming February deadline and into April.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Jan. 2023
Previously, Disney had de facto control of the board as the district's largest landowner.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2023
The measure received unanimous support in the House and Senate and drew Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, to both chambers Thursday.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for de facto
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de facto
Adjective
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Next, threat actors steal these credentials and use them to log in to the actual employee portal.—
Perry Carpenter,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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Many felt these men should be able to become actual firefighters upon their release.—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The real people who are in danger are those who are fearful of being deported.—
Brian Bennett,
TIME,
22 Jan. 2025
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The real scandal is not that violent rioters were charged on this occasion but that they were let off on so many other occasions.—
The Editors,
National Review,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Yi had communicated with the baby’s mother the day before and on the same day that the infant ingested a deadly amount of the drug, according to a factual proffer in the case, the facts agreed on by the defense and prosecutors.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Jan. 2025
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The New York Times defended its reporting, stating it was based on thousands of original documents and adhered to journalistic standards, with no factual errors identified by Baldoni or his team.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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An Expert Opinion Ferrer, a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of Calma Counseling, emphasized the importance of staying true to one's personal values in tricky family situations.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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But the flip side is also true: Nothing would be more harmful than letting the Small Business Deduction disappear at the end of the year.—
John E. Kelly Jr.,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Its very name, the flight number for Air France’s iconic Concorde flights between New York and Paris in the 1970s, is an allusion to the carrier’s rich history.—
Stacia Datskovska,
WWD,
15 Jan. 2025
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Consider it a backlash to the backlashes of 2016 and 2020, the very ones that focused on pushing Hollywood to empower more filmmakers who are women and/or people of color.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
15 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near de facto
Cite this Entry
“De facto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de%20facto. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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