ostensibly
adverb
os·ten·si·bly
ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-blē 
ə-
1
: in a manner that conceals or may conceal what is true or real
The story is ostensibly fiction, but some of the events are based on real life.
… this was the first time that he had been ostensibly frank as to his purpose while really concealing it.—
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy2
: to all outward appearances
Ostensibly, the reason for his visit was to see an old friend.
… invited me to come inside with him, ostensibly to say good-bye to the hippie friend but actually to smoke pot …—Donna Tartt
Donna TarttExamples of ostensibly in a Sentence
The god of cleanliness is never satisfied. In America, the ostensibly egalitarian nature of society meant that cleanliness was used to mark status.
—Joanna Bourke, Harper's, April 2008
Budweiser and Miller, on the other hand, have eroded their credibility by launching brands ostensibly produced by microbreweries. They've been found out, with resulting customer cynicism.
—James R. Rosenfield, Demographics, December 1997
The day after Clinton made his seemingly proactive statement, he met with congressional leaders of both parties, ostensibly to press the case for military intervention.
—Michael Kelly, New Yorker, 19 Dec.1994
ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent
Joanna Bourke, Harper's, April 2008
Budweiser and Miller, on the other hand, have eroded their credibility by launching brands ostensibly produced by microbreweries. They've been found out, with resulting customer cynicism.
—James R. Rosenfield, Demographics, December 1997
The day after Clinton made his seemingly proactive statement, he met with congressional leaders of both parties, ostensibly to press the case for military intervention.
—Michael Kelly, New Yorker, 19 Dec.1994
ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent
Recent Examples on the Web
The little black redaction squares that blanket the documents are ostensibly there to protect.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2025
The Jazz-Sixers exhibition game, which featured the return of former KU coach Larry Brown of the Sixers and center Greg Ostertag of the Jazz, failed to sell out, ostensibly because stars Allen Iverson (Philly) and Karl Malone (Utah) were not available for the contest.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025
What’s missing from the discussion is how ostensibly accurate information is selected, framed and emphasized in ways that can shape public perception.
—Adrian Kuenzler, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
When the files were released, a political scientist named Thomas Kelly discovered that the researchers, who were ostensibly neutral observers, actually wielded a profound level of influence over the Seekers.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
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Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2025
The Jazz-Sixers exhibition game, which featured the return of former KU coach Larry Brown of the Sixers and center Greg Ostertag of the Jazz, failed to sell out, ostensibly because stars Allen Iverson (Philly) and Karl Malone (Utah) were not available for the contest.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025
What’s missing from the discussion is how ostensibly accurate information is selected, framed and emphasized in ways that can shape public perception.
—Adrian Kuenzler, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
When the files were released, a political scientist named Thomas Kelly discovered that the researchers, who were ostensibly neutral observers, actually wielded a profound level of influence over the Seekers.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Cite this Entry
“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostensibly. Accessed 25 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ostensibly
adverb
os·ten·si·bly
ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-blē
ə-
: to all outward appearances : seemingly
a statement ostensibly true
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