Standard Lemma guide

actually

adv · intj · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈæk.t͡ʃʊ.ə.li/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈæk.t͡ʃə.li/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈæk.ʃʊ.ə.li/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈæk.ʃə.li/
  • UK, nonstandard: /ˈæt͡ʃ.u.li/
  • UK, nonstandard: /ˈæt͡ʃ.ə.li/
  • UK, nonstandard: /ˈat͡ʃ.li/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈæk.t͡ʃ(u.)(ə.)li/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈæk.ʃ(u.)(ə.)li/
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ækt͡ʃʊəli
  • CMU ARPABET: AE1 K CH UW2 AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: AE1 K CH L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 3: AE1 K SH AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: modal, not-comparable

Examples

  • His promises did not correspond with what he actually did.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Actively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Currently; at the time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Qualifier: obsolete or non-native speakers' English

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

intj

Meaning 4

Indicating affirmation, agreement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Philippines, informal

Examples

  • A: That was a pretty good movie.
  • B: Actually!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: really

Antonyms: none provided

5

adverb

Meaning 5

used to imply that one would expect the fact to be the opposite of that stated; surprisingly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • you may actually be doing the right thing by walking out
  • she actually spoke Latin
  • they thought they made the rules but in reality they were only puppets
  • people who seem stand-offish are in reality often simply nervous

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in reality

Antonyms: none provided

6

adverb

Meaning 6

in actual fact

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • to be nominally but not actually independent
  • no one actually saw the shark
  • large meteorites actually come from the asteroid belt

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: really

Antonyms: none provided

7

adverb

Meaning 7

as a sentence modifier to add slight emphasis

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • actually, we all help clear up after a meal
  • actually, I haven't seen the film
  • I'm not all that surprised actually
  • she hasn't proved to be too satisfactory, actually

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adverb

Meaning 8

at the present moment

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the transmission screen shows the picture that is actually on the air

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English actually, actuelly, equivalent to actual + -ly.

A calque of Tagalog talaga.

Across languages

Translations

129 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: eintlik — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Arabic: فِعْلًا (fiʕlan) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Armenian: իրականում (irakanum) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Azerbaijani: əslində — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Azerbaijani: əslinə qalanda — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Basque: benetan — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Belarusian: факты́чна (faktýčna) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Belarusian: сапра́ўды (sapráwdy) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Belarusian: дапра́ўды (dapráwdy) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Bulgarian: всъщност (vsǎštnost) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Bulgarian: в действителност (v dejstvitelnost) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Catalan: de fet — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Catalan: en realitat — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Chinese Mandarin: 究竟 (jiūjìng) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Chinese Mandarin: 其實 /其实 (qíshí) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Czech: skutečně — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Czech: opravdu — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Danish: egentlig — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Dutch: eigenlijk — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Dutch: in werkelijkheid — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Dutch: feitelijk — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Esperanto: efektive — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Esperanto: fakte — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Estonian: tegelikult — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Finnish: itse asiassa — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Finnish: oikeastaan — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Finnish: varsinaisesti — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • French: en fait — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • French: effectivement — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • West-Frisian: eigentlik — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Georgian: სინამდვილეში (sinamdvileši) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Georgian: ნამდვილად (namdvilad) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Georgian: ფაქტობრივად (pakṭobrivad) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Georgian: რეალურად (realurad) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • German: eigentlich — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • German: tatsächlich — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • German: in Wirklichkeit — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • German: in Wahrheit — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • German: wirklich — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • German: aigetli — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • East Central German: aangtlich — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Greek: βασικά (vasiká) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Ancient Greek: ἀληθῶς (alēthôs) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Ancient Greek: ἐτήτυμον (etḗtumon) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Ancient Greek: τῷ ὄντι (tōî ónti) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hebrew: למעשה (le-ma'ase) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hindi: यों (yõ) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hindi: वास्तव में (vāstav mẽ) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hindi: असल में (asal mẽ) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hindi: वाकई (vākaī) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hindi: वाक़ई (vāqaī) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hungarian: tulajdonképpen — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hungarian: voltaképpen — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hungarian: igazából — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hungarian: igazság szerint — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hungarian: ami azt illeti — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Hungarian: valójában — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Icelandic: reyndar — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Icelandic: raunar — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Ingrian: itse assiaas — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Interlingua: effectivemente — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Italian: realmente — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Italian: davvero — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Italian: in verità — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Italian: concretamente — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Italian: effettivamente — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Japanese: 本当に (hontō ni) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Japanese: 実際に (jissai ni) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Japanese: 実は (jitsu wa) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Khmer: តាមពិត (taam pɨt) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Khmer: តាមពិតទៅ (taam pɨt tɨv) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Korean: 사실 (sasil) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Latin: rēvērā — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Ligurian: defæti — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Ligurian: infæti — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Malay: sebenarnya — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Malay: sebetulnya — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Malay: sesungguhnya — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Māori: iara — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Middle English: trewely — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Nepali: वास्तव मा (vāstav mā) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Nepali: खास मा (khās mā) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Norwegian: for øyeblikket — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Norwegian: reelt sett — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Norwegian Bokmål: faktisk — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Norwegian Bokmål: egentlig — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Norwegian Bokmål: i virkeligheten — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: faktisk — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Old English: sōþlīċe — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Persian: در واقع (dar vâqe') — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Persian: در حقیقت (dar haqiqat) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Persian: راستش (râst-eš) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Polish: właściwie — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Polish: naprawdę — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Polish: faktycznie — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Polish: autentycznie — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Portuguese: na verdade — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Portuguese: na realidade — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Punjabi: ਵਾਕਿਆ (vākiā) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Romanian: de fapt — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Russian: действи́тельно (dejstvítelʹno) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Russian: вообще́-то (voobščé-to) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Russian: на са́мом де́ле (na sámom déle) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Russian: факти́чески (faktíčeski) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Slovene: v bistvu — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Slovene: dejansko — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Spanish: contrario a / de lo que se anticiparía — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Swedish: verkligen — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Swedish: egentligen — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Swedish: faktiskt — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Swedish: i själva verket — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Tajik: дарвоқеъ (darvoqe') — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Thai: จริงจริงแล้ว (jing jing lɛ́ɛo) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Turkish: aslında — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Ukrainian: наспра́вді (nasprávdi) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Ukrainian: ді́йсно (díjsno) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Urdu: در حقیقت (dar-haqīqat) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Urdu: واقعی (wāqaī) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Urdu: دراصل (dar-asl) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Vietnamese: thực ra — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Vietnamese: thật ra — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Vietnamese: thực sự là — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Volapük: jenöfo — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Welsh: mewn gwirionedd — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Yiddish: פֿאַקטיש (faktish) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Yiddish: בפּועל (bepoyel) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Yiddish: בפּועל־ממש (bepoyel-mamesh) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Yiddish: ממש (mamesh) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
  • Yiddish: אייגנטלעך (eygntlekh) — In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively
Real reading context

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