Link Centre Dictionary

actual

ac·tual

UK/ˈækʃuəl/ US/ˈækʃəl/ common

adjective

1.

presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible

  • “the predicted temperature and the actual temperature were markedly different”
  • “actual and imagined conditions”
Synonyms
Antonyms
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2.

taking place in reality; not pretended or imitated

  • “we saw the actual wedding on television”
  • “filmed the actual beating”
Similar
3.

being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something

  • “her actual motive”
  • “a literal solitude like a desert” G.K.Chesterton
  • “a genuine dilemma”
Synonyms
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4.

of the nature of fact; having actual existence

  • “rocks and trees...the actual world”
  • “actual heroism”
  • “the actual things that produced the emotion you experienced”
Synonyms
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5.

existing in fact whether with lawful authority or not

  • “de facto segregation is as real as segregation imposed by law”
  • “a de facto state of war”
Synonyms
Antonyms
6.

being or existing at the present moment

  • “the ship”
Similar

Origin

From Middle English actual, actuel (“active”), from Anglo-Norman actuel, actual, and its source Late Latin actuālis (“active, practical”), from Latin actus (“act, action, performance”), from agere (“to do; to act”) + -alis (“-al”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti, from the root *h₂eǵ-. By surface analysis, act + -u- + -al.

Phrases

  • actual bodily harm
  • actual cash value
  • actual cost
  • actual flying time
  • actual malice
  • actual neurosis
  • actual occasions
  • actual parameter

Related words

Word family

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.