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Certain vs Actually - What's the difference?

certain | actually |

As an adjective certain

is certain.

As an adverb actually is

(modal) in act or in fact; really; in truth; positively.

certain

English

Adjective

(wikipedia certain) (en adjective)
  • Sure, positive, not doubting.
    • I was certain of my decision.
  • (obsolete) Determined; resolved.
  • * Milton
    • However, I with thee have fixed my lot, / Certain to undergo like doom.
  • Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
  • * Bible, Dan. ii. 45
    • The dream is certain , and the interpretation thereof sure.
  • Actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable.
    • Bankruptcy is the certain outcome of your constant gambling and lending.
  • * Dryden
    • Virtue that directs our ways / Through certain dangers to uncertain praise.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all.
  • Unfailing; infallible.
  • * Mead
    • I have often wished that I knew as certain a remedy for any other distemper.
  • Fixed or stated; regular; determinate.
  • * Bible, Ex. xvi. 4
    • The people go out and gather a certain rate every day.
  • Not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; sometimes used independently as a noun, and meaning certain persons.
  • * Bible, Luke v. 12
    • It came to pass when he was in a certain city.
  • * Macaulay
    • About everything he wrote there was a certain natural grace and decorum.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * (not doubting) uncertain * (sure to happen) impossible, incidental

    Derived terms

    * certainly

    Related terms

    * certainty

    Determiner

    (en determiner)
  • Having been determined but unspecified. The quality of some particular subject or object which is known by the speaker to have been specifically singled out among similar entities of its class.
  • * Bible, Acts xxiii. 12
    • Certain of the Jews banded together.
  • * , title=The Mirror and the Lamp
    • , chapter=3 citation , passage=One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.”}}

    Statistics

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    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * * 1000 English basic words ----

    actually

    English

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (modal) In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively.
    • Actually , I had nothing to do with that incident.
  • (obsolete) actively
    • Neither actually nor passively. — Fuller.

    Alternative forms

    * actially (nonstandard)

    Usage notes

    * In some other languages a word of similar spelling means "now" or "currently"; (e.g., Portuguese "atualmente", Spanish "actualmente", French "actuellement", German "aktuell", Italian "attualmente", Czech ""). This leads many non-native speakers of English to use "actually" when they mean "now" or "currently". * Some commentators have: *
  • remarked upon the irony that this qualifier of veracity often introduces an utter lie;, page 3 and,
    • *
  • noted that in many cases, (term) functions as little more than a vacuous emphatic utterance.ibidem , page 4
    • * In practice, actually and its synonyms are often used to insinuate that the following is either unusual or contrary to a norm or preceding assumption, or to merely preface an overconfident opinion contrasting a previous statement or norm (as per 'vacuous emphasis' note above). : This is actually a really beautiful song. (contrasting opinion) : Actually , I'm not from France - I'm from Switzerland. (contrary from assumption) : At the check-out, the cashier actually greeted me for once. (contrary from norm)

    Synonyms

    * in reality * literally * really * truthfully

    References

    English modal adverbs English words suffixed with -ly