Fact — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈfakt/

Meaning & Definition of Fact

Fact (noun)

  1. something that actually exists or occurs, an actual event, situation, etc. —often used in the phrase the fact that
  2. information or a piece of information presented as true or accurate
  3. the quality of being actual, actuality

Fact (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the quality of being actual

    "like other scientists, astronomers deal in the realm of fact, not speculation"

    similar: actuality, factuality, materiality, reality
    related: authenticity, genuineness, truth, verity
    opposite: irreality, unreality
    near: fancy, fantasy, fiction, fictitiousness, dreaminess, surreality

  2. something that actually exists

    "once considered a wild fantasy, the Internet is now a fact of everyday life"

    similar: actuality, case, materiality, reality
    related: certainty, inevitability, circumstance, event, occurrence, phenomenon, element, item, particular, thing
    opposite: fantasy, fiction, illusion
    near: eventuality, possibility, potentiality, probability

  3. a single piece of information

    "a book of little-known facts about famous people"

    similar: datum, detail, nicety, particular, particularity, point, specific
    related: article, item, component, constituent, element, ingredient, member, part, aspect, circumstance, facet, factor, evidence, exhibit, database, information, knowledge
    near: error, fallacy, falsehood, inaccuracy, misconception, misstatement, myth

  4. a collection of factual knowledge about something

    "after reading the facts on the situation, the president concluded that an outbreak of hostilities was all but certain"

    similar: data, information
    related: findings, intelligence

Related Entry: Fact finder (noun)

Fact finder is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for fact finder, not for fact.

  1. as in empiricist, empiric

    similar: empiric, empiricist, monitor, observer, field-worker, experimenter, investigator, researcher, examiner, inspector

Related Entry: Fact finders (noun)

Fact finders is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for fact finders, not for fact.

  1. as in empiricists, empirics

    similar: empiricists, empirics, monitors, observers, field-workers, experimenters, investigators, researchers, examiners, inspectors

Related Entry: Fact-check (verb)

Fact-check is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for fact-check, not for fact.

  1. as in publish, redact

    similar: edit, redraft, revamp, revise, rework, amend, annotate, correct, emend, rectify, abridge, blue-pencil, redact, red-pencil, copyedit, read, sub (British), subedit, get out, issue, print, publish, anthologize, collect, compile, engross, recopy, reedit, perfect, polish, touch up

Related Entry: Fact-checked (verb)

Fact-checked is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for fact-checked, not for fact.

  1. as in published, redacted

    similar: edited, redrafted, revamped, revised, reworked, amended, annotated, corrected, emended, rectified, abridged, blue-penciled, redacted, red-penciled, copyedited, read, subbed (British), subedited, got out, issued, printed, published, anthologized, collected, compiled, engrossed, recopied, reedited, perfected, polished, touched up

Related Entry: Fact-checking (verb)

Fact-checking is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for fact-checking, not for fact.

  1. as in publishing, redacting

    similar: editing, redrafting, revamping, revising, reworking, amending, annotating, correcting, emending, rectifying, abridging, blue-penciling, redacting, red-penciling, copyediting, reading, subbing (British), subediting, getting out, issuing, printing, publishing, anthologizing, collecting, compiling, engrossing, recopying, reediting, perfecting, polishing, touching up

Related Entry: Fact-checks (verb)

Fact-checks is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for fact-checks, not for fact.

  1. as in publishes, redacts

    similar: edits, redrafts, revamps, revises, reworks, amends, annotates, corrects, emends, rectifies, abridges, blue-pencils, redacts, red-pencils, copyedits, reads, subedits, subs (British), gets out, issues, prints, publishes, anthologizes, collects, compiles, engrosses, recopies, reedits, perfects, polishes, touches up

Related Entry: Matter-of-fact (adjective)

Matter-of-fact is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for matter-of-fact, not for fact.

  1. restricted to or based on fact

    "a matter-of-fact recitation of the events of the last week"

    similar: documentary, factual, hard, historical, literal, nonfictional, objective, true
    related: actual, authentic, bona fide, genuine, real, right, documented, established, confirmable, reliable, supportable, sustainable, verifiable, demonstrable, provable, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, irrefutable, undeniable, unquestionable, plain, simple, certain, undoubted
    opposite: fictional, fictionalized, fictitious, nondocumentary, nonfactual, nonhistorical, unhistorical
    near: hypothetical, speculative, theoretical, apocryphal, unauthentic, undocumented, chimerical, fabulous, fanciful, fantastic, imaginary, imagined, invented, legendary, made-up, make-believe, mythical, pretend, embroidered, exaggerated, insupportable, unsupportable

  2. willing to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly

    "a matter-of-fact woman who didn't worry about what ifs"

    similar: down-to-earth, earthy, hardheaded, practical, pragmatic, realistic
    related: idealless, philistine, utilitarian, commonsensical, grounded, levelheaded, logical, no-nonsense, rational, reasonable, sane, sensible, sober, sobersided, sound, bottom-line, hard, hard-boiled, hard-edged, tough-minded, unromantic, unsentimental, cynical, disillusioned, misanthropic, pessimistic, distrustful, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious
    opposite: blue-sky, idealistic, impractical, unrealistic, utopian, visionary
    near: fanciful, fantastic, imaginative, romantic, sentimental, cheerful, optimistic, rose-colored, trustful, trusting, unsuspicious, half-baked, illogical, insane, irrational, unreasonable, theoretical

Related Entry: As a matter of fact (phrase)

As a matter of fact is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for as a matter of fact, not for fact.

  1. to tell the truth

    ""You didn't bring snacks, did you?" "As a matter of fact, I did!""

    similar: actually, admittedly, forsooth, frankly, honestly, indeed, really, truly, truthfully, verily, in actuality, in fact, in point of fact, in reality, in truth, to be sure
    related: absolutely, certainly, indisputably, indubitably, positively, realistically, undoubtedly, unquestionably, veritably

Related Entry: In fact (phrase)

In fact is a different word from Fact. The synonyms below are for in fact, not for fact.

  1. to tell the truth

    "She told authorities she had been home that night when in fact witnesses reported seeing her in town."

    similar: actually, admittedly, forsooth, frankly, honestly, indeed, really, truly, truthfully, verily, as a matter of fact, in actuality, in point of fact, in reality, in truth, to be sure
    related: absolutely, certainly, indisputably, indubitably, positively, realistically, undoubtedly, unquestionably, veritably

  2. not merely this but also

    "Blue whales are the biggest animals on Earth, and in fact, they can weigh up to 200 tons."

    similar: even, indeed, nay, truly, verily, yea, in reality, in truth
    related: assuredly, certainly, decidedly, definitely, doubtless, incontestably, incontrovertibly, indisputably, positively, really, surely, truly, undeniably, undoubtedly, unquestionably

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Fact

The most common words with a similar meaning to Fact:

actuality, factuality, materiality, reality, case, datum, detail, nicety, particular, particularity, point, specific, data, information

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Fact

Words with the opposite meaning of Fact:

irreality, unreality, fantasy, fiction, illusion

Related Words for Fact

authenticity, genuineness, truth, verity, certainty, inevitability, circumstance, event, occurrence, phenomenon, element, item, thing, article, component, constituent, ingredient, member, part, aspect, facet, factor, evidence, exhibit, database, knowledge, findings, intelligence

Near Antonyms of Fact

fancy, fictitiousness, dreaminess, surreality, eventuality, possibility, potentiality, probability, error, fallacy, falsehood, inaccuracy, misconception, misstatement, myth

Origin & Etymology of Fact

borrowed from Latin factum "deed, action, real event," noun derivative from neuter of factus, past participle of facere "to make, bring about, perform, do," going back to a suffixed form *dhh1-k-i̯e- (with perfect fēcī from *dheh1-k-) of Indo-European *dhh1-, dheh1- "put, place, make, do" do:1

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Fact

Words & Phrases Containing Fact

fact-check, fact finder, fact of life, fact from fiction, after-the-fact, as a matter of fact, in fact, matter-of-fact, accept the fact that

Frequently Asked Questions about Fact

What does "Fact" mean?

"Fact" means something that actually exists or occurs, an actual event, situation, etc. —often used in the phrase the fact that. As a noun, it is defined as: something that actually exists or occurs, an actual event, situation, etc. —often used in the phrase the fact that. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Fact"?

Other words for "Fact" include actuality, factuality, materiality, reality, case, datum, detail and nicety. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Fact" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Fact"?

There are 42 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Fact". Common alternatives include actuality, factuality, materiality, reality, case, datum, detail, nicety, particular and particularity.

What is the opposite of "Fact"?

Antonyms of "Fact" include irreality, unreality, fantasy, fiction and illusion. Near antonyms include fancy, fictitiousness, dreaminess and surreality.

How do you use "Fact" in a sentence?

Examples of "Fact" in a sentence: "like other scientists, astronomers deal in the realm of fact, not speculation"; "once considered a wild fantasy, the Internet is now a fact of everyday life"; "a book of little-known facts about famous people".

Is "Fact" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Fact" is a noun.

Is "Fact" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Fact" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Fact"?

"Fact" is pronounced /ˈfakt/.