English Reference
Idiom idiom

fact is


actually, in truth

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The fact is, I forgot to buy milk.

CONTEXTUAL

You think he is angry, but the fact is he is just very tired.

COMPLEX

While the company claims the project is ahead of schedule, the fact is that they have yet to complete the primary phase of development.


Related idioms7entries
  1. 01

    brass Tacks

    [Cockney slang]facts

  2. 02

    fact of life

    Something that cannot be avoided; a stark reality of existence.

  3. 03

    facts on the ground

    The situation in reality as opposed to in the abstract.

  4. 04

    for a fact

    Without doubt.

  5. 05

    French fact

    The presence of French Canada as a distinct cultural, linguistic, and political force within the Canadian Confederation.

  6. 06

    put facts on the ground

    To quietly or incrementally change the de facto situation in one's favor in order to win a legal dispute.

  7. 07

    them's the facts

    Those are the facts, that's the truth, that's how it is.

Last updated August 10, 2026