actually

adverb

1. in actual fact

- to be nominally but not actually independent

- no one actually saw the shark

- large meteorites actually come from the asteroid belt

Similar word(s): really

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

3. at the present moment

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

4. 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