as in apparently
to all outward appearances
ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ostensibly
Barricading everyone inside the hotel ostensibly ensures Celia’s abductors can’t leave the property.
—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Though this is an ostensibly local election, his national message has been clear.
—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
18 June 2026
Canada’s national team have gathered for a training camp, ostensibly ahead of upcoming games on the calendar.
—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
These vessels were part of military exercises known as Arctic Endurance, and their purpose was ostensibly to counter threats from outside the NATO alliance, of which both Denmark and the United States are members.
—
Joshua Hunt,
Vanity Fair,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Alison Herman,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Though this is an ostensibly local election, his national message has been clear.
—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
18 June 2026
Canada’s national team have gathered for a training camp, ostensibly ahead of upcoming games on the calendar.
—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
These vessels were part of military exercises known as Arctic Endurance, and their purpose was ostensibly to counter threats from outside the NATO alliance, of which both Denmark and the United States are members.
—
Joshua Hunt,
Vanity Fair,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensibly
Adverb
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The district continues to face ongoing challenges from declining enrollment and chronic absenteeism — both apparently exacerbated by federal deportation threats, according to some experts.
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When security turns them away at the gate, some fans are stashing their bags nearby — apparently planning to grab them later — and that’s creating a real headache for law enforcement, according to The Star.
Adverb
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That pace has seemingly left lawmakers attempting to put in guardrails fighting a losing battle.
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When Lucerys refuses, Aemond chases Lucerys on his dragon, seemingly meaning to injure him rather than kill him, but his dragon, Vhagar, delivers a fatal blow to Rhaenyra’s son.
Adverb
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Or means that any comments are supposedly hypocritical.
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But leaders at United Auto Workers (UAW), the primary US union for autoworkers, reacted with anger to the new robotic presence, given how GM has not yet called back any of the workers affected by supposedly temporary layoffs in March.
Adverb
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Once, there was a showdown with another tour bus — one presumably not carrying theatergoers.
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The users within that 7% gap had presumably found their question answered by the summary and felt no further online reading was needed to satisfy their curiosity or make a decision.
Adverb
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That rough outing ultimately proved costly, but the Pirates evidently saw enough upside in Marte's arm to give him another chance.
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More importantly, Suzuka marked both the end and beginning of a chapter for the young team, which evidently had a lot of work to do before heading to the United States.
Adverb
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The stadium appeared to be about half-filled with Ecuadorian fans, probably because of the large contingent of Ecuador natives who live in the area.
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Greenberg tried his best to ignore an irritating ankle injury that had plagued him the last couple of weeks and grimaced under the hazy sunlight as the pitcher, probably 20 or more years his junior, stared him down.
Cite this Entry
“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensibly. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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