You use actual to emphasize that you are referring to something real or genuine.
[emphasis]
The segments are filmed using either local actors or the actual people involved.
In this country, the actual number of miscarriages in humans is never fully recorded.
Synonyms: genuine, real, true, confirmed More Synonyms of actual
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You use actual to contrast the important aspect of something with a less important aspect.
[emphasis]
She had compiled pages of notes, but she had not yet gotten down to doing the actualwriting.
The exercises in this chapter can guide you, but it will be up to you to do the actualwork.
Synonyms: real, substantial [formal], concrete, definite More Synonyms of actual
3. in actual fact
actual in British English
(ˈæktʃʊəl)
adjective
1.
existing in reality or as a matter of fact
2.
real or genuine
3.
existing at the present time; current
4. (usually preceded by your) British informal, often facetious
(intensifier)
that music's by your actual Mozart, isn't it?
▶ USAGE The excessive use of actual and actually should be avoided. They are unnecessary in sentences such as in actual fact, he is forty-two, and he did actually go to the play but did not enjoy it
Word origin
C14: actuel existing, from Late Latin āctuālis relating to acts, practical, from Latin āctusact
actual in American English
(ˈæktʃuəl; ˈækʃuəl; often, ˈæktʃəl; ˈækʃəl)
adjective
1.
existing in reality or in fact; not merely possible, but real; as it really is
the actual cost of the dam
2.
existing at present or at the time
SIMILAR WORDS: true
Word origin
ME < LL actualis, active, practical < L actus: see act1
Examples of 'actual' in a sentence
actual
The way you conducted yourself did cause actual and real distress.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Not in actual real life.
The Sun (2016)
The actual number may therefore be much higher,' a spokesman for the service said.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The actual cost is less because some days have been so busy that the reward was halved.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Yet public perceptions about immigration do not match the actual numbers coming here.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It could prove a helpful halfway step for them toward actual reality.
The Sun (2012)
This was a case in which the actual facts appeared unlikely to be in dispute.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
His issue is less the actual tackling and more the timing of his interventions from the wing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
With the actual kit on the actual pegs and the actual numbers on the back.
The Sun (2010)
This is a case in which the actual facts appear unlikely to be in dispute at all.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
And why are actual politicians becoming less and less effective?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The actual number who stayed at home?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The actual number of classes to be considered is primarily a matter of data availability.
Forstner, Helmut, Ballance, Robert Competing in a Global Economy (1990)
The fact that actual slum conditions continue to exist at all is an indictment of the housing situation.
Brown, Muriel & Payne Sarah Introduction to Social Administration in Britain (1990)
Real documents detailing actual cash transfers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But the actual issues are real.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The actual situation is less dramatic.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It's holding us back from turning genuine enquiries into actual sales.
The Sun (2009)
With this view of the world, we fail to accept the actual reality of evil.
Christianity Today (2000)
Real names of actual people, people preferably paying tax.
The Sun (2014)
Match your self-esteem to the actual reality of your work.
Evans, Andrew The Secrets of Musical Confidence (1994)
Now the problem In actual fact matters are not always so straightforward.
Mumby, Keith The Allergy Handbook (1988)
For all the time we spend on social media, our actual ties with real people are loosening.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I simply do not think his image matches the actual reality of his legacy.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
You feel the actual reality of the situation and get to know the victims, which inevitably makes it more emotionally difficult in places.
The Sun (2013)
There were landscape painters in China in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries but these artists didn't paint pictures of actual places either.
Improve Your Landscape Painting
In other languages
actual
British English: actual /ˈæktʃʊəl/ ADJECTIVE
Actual is used to emphasize that you are referring to something real or genuine.
The actual number of victims is higher than statistics suggest.
American English: actual
Arabic: فِعْلِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: real
Chinese: 实际的
Croatian: stvaran
Czech: skutečný
Danish: faktisk
Dutch: daadwerkelijk
European Spanish: real
Finnish: varsinainen
French: réel
German: wirklich
Greek: πραγματικός
Italian: reale
Japanese: 実際の
Korean: 실제의
Norwegian: faktisk
Polish: rzeczywisty
European Portuguese: real
Romanian: real
Russian: фактический
Latin American Spanish: real que existe
Swedish: faktisk
Thai: ที่จริง
Turkish: gerçek
Ukrainian: дійсний
Vietnamese: thực sự
All related terms of 'actual'
actual cost
the cost of a product based on incurred costs of material and labor required in its production
actual sin
any sin that a person commits of his or her own free will and for which he or she is personally responsible
your actual
( intensifier )
actual expenses
Expense is the money that something costs you or that you need to spend in order to do something.
in actual fact in point of fact
You use in fact , in actual fact , or in point of fact to indicate that you are giving more detailed information about what you have just said .
actual bodily harm
Actual bodily harm is a criminal offence in which someone gives another person a minor injury.
actual total loss
the complete destruction or loss of a piece of property that has been insured , or damage that is so extensive that the item can no longer be salvaged or used
actual cash value basis
Actual cash value basis is a method of valuing insured property that is calculated by subtracting depreciation from the replacement cost.
in fact in actual fact in point of fact
You use in fact , in actual fact , or in point of fact to indicate that you are giving more detailed information about what you have just said .
Chinese translation of 'actual'
actual
(ˈæktjuəl)
adj
(= real, genuine) 真实(實)的 (zhēnshí de)
(for emphasis) 实(實)际(際)上的 (shíjìshang de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
existing in reality or as a matter of fact
They are using local actors or the actual people involved.
Synonyms
genuine
They are convinced the painting is genuine.
real
the smell of real leather
true
Everything I had heard about him was true.
confirmed
authentic
patterns for making authentic border-style clothing
verified
truthful
They had not given a truthful account of what actually happened.
bona fide
We are happy to donate to bona fide charitable causes.
dinkum (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
Opposites
made-up
,
probable
,
untrue
,
unreal
,
fictitious
2 (adjective)
She had written some notes, but she hadn't started the actual work.
Synonyms
real
No, it wasn't a dream. It was real.
substantial (formal)
talk of imminent and substantial progress
concrete
using concrete objects to teach addition and subtraction
definite
tangible
There is tangible evidence that the economy is starting to recover.
Opposites
supposed,
theoretical
,
hypothetical
Usage note
The words actual and actually are often used when speaking, but should only be used in writing where they add something to the meaning of a sentence. For example, in the sentence he actually rather enjoyed the film, the word actually is only needed if there was originally some doubt as to whether he would enjoy it.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of authentic
Definition
of undisputed origin or authorship
patterns for making authentic border-style clothing
Synonyms
real,
true,
original,
actual,
pure,
genuine,
valid,
faithful,
undisputed,
veritable,
lawful,
on the level (informal),
bona fide,
dinkum (Australian, New Zealand, informal),
pukka,
the real McCoy,
true-to-life,
live
in the sense of bona fide
Definition
undertaken in good faith
We are happy to donate to bona fide charitable causes.
Synonyms
genuine,
real,
true,
legal,
actual,
legitimate,
authentic,
honest,
veritable,
lawful,
on the level (informal),
kosher (informal),
dinkum (Australian, New Zealand, informal),
the real McCoy
in the sense of concrete
Definition
relating to things that can be perceived by the senses, as opposed to abstractions
using concrete objects to teach addition and subtraction