de facto

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Critics of these arrangements say private-equity firms use them to gain de facto control over law firms while skirting ownership bans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

The Make America Healthy Again movement, for which Kennedy is the de facto leader, promotes a diet heavy in meat and animal products, such as butter, beef tallow and raw milk.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

She becomes the de facto “keeper” of these letters and more mementos — a “strange gift,” she writes, the paper trail of something that should never have happened.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

The U.A.E.’s exit will diminish the influence of Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s de facto leader, and the broader framework that includes Russia and other non-OPEC producers.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

However, it did produce the Pacific Crest Trail and secured the future of the AT by making it a de facto national park.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson