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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Actual Meaning, Examples & Common Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：real, true (actual)

actual 🔊

/ˈæktʃuəl/

adj.

Emphasizing something is real or true, not just an idea, theory, or what was said before.

Actual price vs promotional sticker at supermarket checkout

real, true 🔊

➕

/riːl truː/

adj.

Used to emphasize that something is genuine and not just a claim, theory, or appearance.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'actus' (action) + '-al' suffix, meaning 'relating to action,' hence 'real.'

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'act' + 'ual' — it’s about what is really happening in the act.

📖 Example

The actual price at the checkout was higher than the one advertised online. 🔊 The price charged at the checkout was higher than the promotional price advertised online.

🔗 Collocations

actual cost – the real cost

actual fact – a fact that is true

actual situation – the real situation

🔄 Synonyms

real (adj.) – truly existing; not imaginary

genuine (adj.) – truly what something is said to be

authentic (adj.) – of undisputed origin; genuine

🚫 Antonyms

imaginary (adj.) – existing only in the imagination

theoretical (adj.) – concerned with theory; not practical

supposed (adj.) – generally assumed but not necessarily true

🌱 Derivatives

actualize (v.) – to make real or practical

actuality (n.) – the state of existing in reality

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'actus' via 'actualis,' meaning 'active, practical.' Entered English in the 14th century, shifting from 'pertaining to actions' to 'real.'

Meaning 2：real, existing (actual)

actual 🔊

/ˈæktʃuəl/

adj.

Used to say that something exists or happened in reality, not just as an idea, possibility, or plan.

Actual landscape of glacial lake compared to tourist map

real, existing 🔊

➕

/riːl ɪɡˈzɪstɪŋ/

adj.

Used to describe something that actually happens or exists, in contrast to what was planned, predicted, or imagined.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The weather forecast predicted sun, but the actual weather was cold and rainy all day. 🔊 The weather forecast said it would be sunny, but the weather that actually happened was cold and rainy all day.

🔗 Collocations

actual events – events that really happened

actual experience – experience in real life

actual outcome – the real result

🔄 Synonyms

real (adj.) – truly existing; not imagined

factual (adj.) – based on facts

concrete (adj.) – existing in a material form; specific

🚫 Antonyms

hypothetical (adj.) – based on an assumption or hypothesis

potential (adj.) – having the capacity to become something in the future

intended (adj.) – planned or meant

🌱 Derivatives

actually (adv.) – in reality; really

actuality (n.) – the state of existing in reality