This guide will inform you about the meaning of de facto, explain its origins and how to use it, and provide synonyms, antonyms, examples, and more!
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Kevin
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January 9, 2022
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De facto is one of those phrases you hear, but you might not know what it actually means.
So, what does de facto mean? Where does it come from? Why do we still say it? Is it still relevant?
De facto has many uses and definitions in today’s language, and it may be a useful addition to your daily vocabulary.
What Does De Facto Mean?
The correct pronunciation of de facto is day fak-toh. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, de facto has multiple meanings.
As an adjective or adverb, de facto means existing in fact, even though it may not be intended, legal, or accepted.
Examples of de facto as an adjective include:
- He has become the de facto boss in the absence of any clearly assigned roles.
- A de facto party occurred in the break room when someone brought in doughnuts.
As a noun, primarily in Australian English, de facto refers to a romantic partner who another person lives with like a wife, husband, or life partner that the person has not married.
Examples of de facto as a noun include:
- Kris and their de facto are coming for lunch later today.
- Jane and her de facto have been together for 14 years.
Additionally, as an adjective, de facto means that something exists factually in spite of a lack of approval or formal designation.
Additional examples of de facto as an adjective include:
- The candidate is the de facto winner of the race because they were unopposed.
- The language spoken by the majority of citizens is considered the country’s de facto national language.
What Is the Origin of De Facto?
De facto is a Latin expression meaning “of fact” or “in reality”. It is widely used to describe what happens in practice without being officially law versus what happens according to law. What happens according to law is de jure, which means “by law” in Latin.
As a Latin phrase, de facto can be broken down into its two parts. The prefix de- roughly translates to “about” or “of.”
According to Merriam-Webster, the etymology of the word facto in Latin means fact. De facto is an adopted word in the English language that translates from Latin directly—”of fact.”
How Is De Facto Used?
De Facto in Law
Aspiring law students will see de facto used in their texts. As Cornell Law School describes, de facto commonly means an action taken without legal authority that is still recognized as legally valid.
According to Washington University’s School of Law, de facto vs. de jure are most frequently seen in international business and legal matters. In legal situations, de jure will be used to indicate what is truly defined by law and expressed by law, or as actual fact. De facto is used to indicate what is practiced, or as actual use.
Attorneys and people in business must work together at times, especially in international matters, whether the state of affairs is de facto or de jure. If there is no official recognition or regulation on the matter, the common experience may not dictate how the matter is decided.
De Facto in Politics
In politics, de facto is often used in reference to a government or leaders who have usurped sovereignty or authority from those legally bestowed with it using power outside the law. These de facto governments or leaders may only claim to hold their positions or they may actually carry out their roles.
Dictators are usually assumed to be de facto rulers, but not all dictators rose to power outside of the law. Additionally, some de facto rulers do so through the influence of the de jure leader or legal government head.
Other Political Uses of De Facto
When two countries are engaging in militaristic activities or aggressive behaviors toward each other, the countries are said to be in a de facto state of war. For example, during the Cold War, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was in a de facto state of war with the United States.
In the absence of an official language, the predominant language of a country’s citizens may become its de facto national language. Sometimes, this is true even in countries where a national language has been established but another language is more widely used.
In the United Kingdom, the office of governor-general in the Commonwealth realms is sometimes termed as the “de facto head of state.” This is because a person that holds the office has the same authority and responsibilities as the lawful authority of the de jure head of state in the UK.
Until the 1950s and 1960s, de facto racial discrimination and segregation were allowed to exist through legal (de jure) discriminatory laws in the United States, also known as “Jim Crow Laws.” These immoral laws were instituted after the Civil War and were not officially ended until the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
What Are Synonyms For De Facto?
Synonyms provide us with different ways to say what we mean. We can make the same points, but using other words or phrases can make it more succinct or more palatable for our intended audience.
Some synonyms for de facto are:
- In fact
- In reality
- In actuality
- In practice
- In effect
- Essentially
- Actually
- Really
- Effective
Are There Antonyms For De Facto?
An antonym means the opposite of the word. Knowing words that represent the opposite of a word allows us to express opposing thoughts or correctly expound on both sides of a topic.
Some antonyms of de facto are:
- Ideal
- Conjectural
- Inexistent
- Nonexistent
- Potential
- Suppositional
- Theoretical
- Hypothetical
Another obvious antonym accompanies de facto frequently—including many times in this article! De jure is used as an antonym to de facto.
What Are Some Examples of De Facto in a Sentance?
Below, you’ll find some examples of ways de facto is commonly used in a sentence:
- The Prime Minister is the de facto president of the country.
- The usurpation of the neighboring country’s borders drew new de facto boundaries.
- Aggressive actions, however subtle, seem to be putting the countries in a de facto state of war.
- A de facto sting operation was later ruled against in court as entrapment.
- The recognition of the new government by law led to a de facto one-party system.
Now you know how to use de fact in a sentence, what it means, and its origins!
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