The question of infact vs in fact has a clear answer: in fact is correct, and infact does not exist in any standard dictionary. Written as a single word, it's a spelling error, full stop. The mistake is understandable, because we say the phrase so quickly in speech that it can feel like one word. On the page, though, it must stay as two.
Why "infact" feels right but isn't
English has many compound words that started as two-word phrases: into, indeed, instead. Because those exist, the brain assumes infact follows the same pattern. It doesn't. No major style guide, dictionary, or grammar authority recognises infact as a legitimate word. It's absent from Merriam-Webster, the Oxford English Dictionary, and the Chicago Manual of Style.
The phrase "in fact" functions as a prepositional phrase used adverbially. Breaking it down: in is a preposition, and fact is its object. Prepositional phrases of this type don't collapse into single words in standard English. Compare "in turn," "in time," or "in short" — all kept separate. "In fact" belongs to that group.
What "in fact" means and how to use it
"In fact" introduces or emphasises a statement that confirms, strengthens, or contrasts with what was just said. It signals that what follows is true and worth paying attention to. Writers use it to add force to a claim, to correct a misunderstanding, or to reveal something that might surprise the reader.
Three common uses:
- Emphasis: "She didn't just like the book. In fact, she read it twice."
- Contrast: "The job looked simple. In fact, it took three days."
- Confirmation: "He said he'd finished, and in fact he had."
Notice that "in fact" sits naturally at the start of a sentence or clause. It can also appear mid-sentence without a problem. What it can never do is lose its space.
Common sentences where the error appears
The misspelling turns up most often in casual writing: emails, social media posts, quick notes. When writers type fast and don't proofread, infact slips in. Spell-checkers don't always catch it, because spell-checkers look for strings that aren't real words. In some environments, infact gets flagged; in others, it doesn't. Don't rely on software. Know the rule.
Wrong: Infact, the meeting was cancelled.
Right: In fact, the meeting was cancelled.
Wrong: She infact knew the answer all along.
Right: She in fact knew the answer all along.
This kind of error is similar to the confusion around incase vs in case, where a two-word phrase gets collapsed into one. The fix is the same in both situations: keep the space.
Is there any dialect or regional use of "infact"?
No. Unlike some spelling variations that differ between American and British English, infact isn't accepted in any regional variety of the language. It's not a British spelling, not an Australian variant, not an older form that's simply fallen out of fashion. It's an error in every English-speaking country.
Writers who make this mistake aren't alone. Afterall vs after all follows the same pattern: a two-word phrase that gets squeezed into one under pressure of fast writing. "After all" and "in fact" both need their space kept intact.
A quick memory trick
If you want a reliable way to remember this, try substituting "in truth." You'd never write "intruth" as one word, and "in fact" works the same way. Both are prepositional phrases. Both stay separate. That substitution test takes two seconds and settles any doubt.
One space. Two words. That's the whole rule.