Actually (Adverb)
Meaning 1
As a sentence modifier to add slight emphasis; "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".
Examples
- He's actually quite good at it, but don't tell him I said so.
- She's been working hard lately, actually harder than most of the others.
- Actually, the place didn't turn out to be as bad as we thought.
- I thought I'd forgotten the words, but I remembered them actually.
- It's not so crowded on this side, actually there's plenty of room.
Meaning 2
Used to imply that one would expect the fact to be the opposite of that stated; surprisingly; "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".
Examples
- They thought they made the rules but in reality they were only puppets who actually made no decisions.
- You might actually be enjoying the concert, even if you're not a fan of rock music.
- Although he looked confident, he actually struggled to speak in front of the crowd.
- What appears to be an unpleasant experience may actually turn out to be a great opportunity.
- Despite their tough exterior, many warriors actually have soft and compassionate hearts.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
At the present moment; "the transmission screen shows the picture that is actually on the air".
Examples
- The live feed is showing the event that is actually happening right now.
- The GPS is tracking the location that you are actually in.
- The weather app is updating the forecast that is actually happening today.
- The stock prices are reflecting the values that are actually trading at this moment.
- The news broadcast is showing the footage that is actually coming in live.
Meaning 4
In actual fact; "to be nominally but not actually independent"; "no one actually saw the shark"; "large meteorites actually come from the asteroid belt".
Examples
- The company claims to be owned by the employees, but in reality it's actually controlled by a small group of managers.
- Although the project was overdue, the team actually completed it ahead of the original schedule.
- The majority of astronauts actually prepare for missions that may never be assigned to them.
- Several witnesses reported hearing the explosion, but no one actually saw the cause of the blast.
- The highest recorded temperature in Antarctica was actually lower than previous estimates.