Actual and Counterfeit

Actual

Actual adjective - Existing in fact and not merely as a possibility.

Counterfeit is an antonym for actual in topics: real, existing at the present time.

Counterfeit

Counterfeit adjective - Being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud.
Usage example: counterfeit currency that had been passed all over town

Actual is an antonym for counterfeit in fake topic.

Both words in one sentence

  • Ridiculous Future Inflation Ironically enough, actual Civil War era counterfeit Confederate dollars are even more collectable than the real thing, and unlike antique counterfeit US dollars are actually legal to own.
  • Series / CSI: NY Sommelier Speak: Happens in an episode involving counterfeit wine — mostly played for laughs, although the actual experts get some respect.
  • In Mary Steward's This Rough Magic, Godfrey admits to smuggling to distract from his actual attempts at destabilizing nations with counterfeit currency and attempted murder.
Cite this Source
Counterfeit and Actual. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/actual/counterfeit
Actual & Counterfeit. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/actual/counterfeit>.
Counterfeit or Actual. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/actual/counterfeit.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "actual" and "counterfeit" have occurred on timeline