fact
/fækt/ IELTSAcademic
noun
something that is true and can be proved. It is not just a guess, opinion, or belief.
- It is a fact that the Earth orbits the Sun.
- Please check the facts before you share the story.
- The report is based on facts, not rumours.
Adinary Nuance
A fact is something true and provable. Use fact when you want to stress evidence, not personal feeling. It is stronger and more exact than truth in everyday academic writing, because a fact can be checked. It is also different from opinion, which is a personal view.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- sự thật
- Spanish
- hecho
- Chinese
- 事实
- Japanese
- 事実
- Korean
- 사실
Etymology
Fact comes from Latin factum, meaning “something done.” It entered English in the 1400s through French and later came to mean a true thing or event.
Common phrases
a fact of lifethe factsas a matter of facthard facts
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between fact and opinion?
- A fact can be proved true. An opinion is what someone thinks or feels.
- Is fact a formal word?
- Yes, it is common in formal writing, exams, and business English.
- Can I say “in fact” in speaking?
- Yes. It is very common and natural in both speaking and writing.
- Is “the facts” plural common?
- Yes. It often means the real details of a situation or case.