fact
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.something that is known to be true or has actually happened.
n.a thing that is known or proved to be true; an objective reality as opposed to an opinion or falsehood.
Simple“It is a well-known fact that the Earth revolves around the Sun.”
In context“The journalist spent months verifying every fact in the report to ensure the publication could withstand any legal challenges regarding its accuracy.”
PitfallIn the fact, the movie was quite long. In fact, the movie was quite long.The phrase 'in fact' is a fixed expression and does not take an article.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.information about a situation or a specific subject.
n.information about a particular subject, especially regarding actual conditions, circumstances, or data points.
Simple“The brochure is full of interesting facts about the city's history.”
In context“Before making a final decision on the merger, the board requested a comprehensive summary of the facts regarding the company's current debt.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a specific act or event, often used when talking about a crime.
n.an action or deed, specifically a wrongful or criminal act; often used in the phrase 'accessory after the fact'.
Simple“He was charged with being an accessory after the fact.”
In context“The prosecution struggled to establish the facts of the case, as the primary witness provided conflicting accounts of the evening's events.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
interj.you say this to show that what you are about to say is definitely true.
interj.used as a sentence-initial or standalone marker to assert the truth or reliability of the following statement.
Simple“Fact: that was the best pizza I have ever eaten.”
In context“Fact: if we don't leave right now, we are going to miss the opening act of the concert.”
UsageOften used as a one-word sentence followed by a colon or a pause for dramatic emphasis.
Usage fact of life · actual fact · fact reflect
From Old French fact, from Latin factum (“an act, deed, feat, etc.”); also Medieval Latin for “state, condition, circumstance”; neuter of factus (“done or made”), perfect passive participle of faciō (“do, make”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put, place, set”). Old/Middle French later evolved it into faict and fait. Doublet of feat.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.