DE FACTO Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

de facto

adjective

as in actual

existing in fact and not merely as a possibility with the death of his father, he became the de facto head of the family

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Examples of de facto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The 16 women who had challenged the status quo, most notably Nancy Hopkins, the reluctant de facto leader, were thrilled but eager to return to their roles as elite scientists. —

Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023 Another item in the package extends the de facto period of service for individuals serving on local boards and commissions beyond a looming February deadline and into April. —

Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Jan. 2023 Previously, Disney had de facto control of the board as the district's largest landowner. —

Rob Wile, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2023 The measure received unanimous support in the House and Senate and drew Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, to both chambers Thursday. —

Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023 See all Example Sentences for de facto

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'de facto.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.