What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Actual vs Really - What's the difference?

actual | really |

As an adjective actual

is existing in act or reality, not just potentially; really acted or acting; occurring in fact.

As a noun actual

is an actual, real one; notably:.

As an adverb really is

(lb) actually; in fact; in reality.

As an interjection really is

indicating surprise at, or requesting confirmation of, some new information; to express skepticism.

actual

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Existing in act or reality, not just potentially; really acted or acting; occurring in fact.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=(Gary Younge)
  • , volume=188, issue=26, page=18, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution , passage=They also exposed the blatant discrepancy between the west's professed values and actual foreign policies.}}
  • Factual, real, not just apparent or even false.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=1 citation , passage=The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, so that the actual structure which had come down to posterity retained the secret magic of a promise rather than the overpowering splendour of a great architectural achievement.}}
  • (dated) In action at the time being; now existing; current.
  • (obsolete) Active, not passive.
  • * Shakespeare
  • her walking and other actual performances.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • Let your holy and pious intention be actual ; that is given to God.
  • Used to emphasise a noun or verb, whether something is real or metaphorical.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-03, volume=408, issue=8847, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The machine of a new soul , passage=The yawning gap in neuroscientists’ understanding of their topic is in the intermediate scale of the brain’s anatomy. Science has a passable knowledge of how individual nerve cells, known as neurons, work. It also knows which visible lobes and ganglia of the brain do what. But how the neurons are organised in these lobes and ganglia remains obscure. Yet this is the level of organisation that does the actual thinking—and is, presumably, the seat of consciousness.}}

    Usage notes

    * In some foreign languages the counterpart of (actual) means “current”. This meaning also occurs in English written by non-native speakers, but is nonstandard English. * The phrase (term) is criticised by many as redundant., page 3

    Synonyms

    * (existing in act or reality) real * (in action at the time being) present * positive

    Antonyms

    * (existing in act or reality) potential, possible, virtual, speculative, conceivable, theoretical, nominal, hypothetical, estimated * (in action at the time being) future, past

    Derived terms

    * actualism * actualist * actuality * actualize * actualization * actually

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An actual, real one; notably:
  • # (finance) Something actually received; real receipts, as distinct from estimated ones.
  • # (military) A radio callsign modifier that specifies the commanding officer of the unit or asset denoted by the remainder of the callsign and not the officer's assistant or other designee.
  • "Bravo Six Actual , Snakebite leader" (The person with the callsign "Snakebite leader" requests to speak to the commander of company Bravo and not the radio operator.)

    See also

    * certain * genuine

    References

    Anagrams

    * ----

    really

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (lb) Actually; in fact; in reality.
  • :
  • Very (modifying an adjective); very much (modifying a verb).
  • :
  • *, chapter=10
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.}}
  • *
  • *:There was also hairdressing: hairdressing, too, really was hairdressing in those times — no running a comb through it and that was that. It was curled, frizzed, waved, put in curlers overnight, waved with hot tongs;.
  • Usage notes

    * Like its synonyms, really is, in practice, often used to preface an opinion, rather than a fact. (See also usage notes for .) : Increasingly people are recognising what's really important is having children. '>citation

    Synonyms

    * (actually) actually, in fact, indeed, truly * (sense) so

    Statistics

    *

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • Indicating surprise at, or requesting confirmation of, some new information; to express skepticism.
  • A: He won the Nobel Prize yesterday.
    B: Really?
  • Indicating that what was just said was obvious and unnecessary; contrived incredulity
  • A: I've just been reading Shakespeare - he's one of the best authors like, ever!
    B: Really .
  • (colloquial, chiefly, US) Indicating affirmation, agreement.
  • A: That girl talks about herself way too much.
    B: Really . She's a nightmare.
  • Indicating displeasure at another person's behaviour or statement.
  • Well, really ! How rude.

    Synonyms

    * you don't say, no kidding, oh really, no really

    References