ENGLISH
REFERENCE

factual

adj. · n.
US //ˈfæktʃuəɫ// UK //fˈæktʃuːəl// fac·tu·al
  1. 1 based on facts (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    based on or containing real facts rather than opinions or imagination.

    pertaining to, consisting of, or based on objective facts rather than interpretation or fiction.

    Example

    The reporter tried to keep her story factual and did not include her own feelings.

    Example

    The legal team insisted on a purely factual account of the incident, stripping away any emotional language that might bias the jury.
  2. 2 documentary media (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    television programmes or films that are based on real events, like documentaries.

    a genre of media content, such as documentaries or news features, based on real-world events and information. Uncountable in this sense.

    Example

    He has worked in factual for ten years, mostly making nature documentaries.

    Example

    The network is shifting its budget away from expensive period dramas to invest more heavily in high-quality factual programming.

    Usage

    Used as an uncountable noun in the broadcasting and media industries.
Origin

From fact + -ual, modeled after, and by analogy with, actual.

Word family

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