ostensibly

adverb

os·​ten·​si·​bly ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-blē How to pronounce ostensibly (audio)
ə-
1
: in an ostensible manner
2
: to all outward appearances

Examples 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
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Many of the biblical references including the rider of the pale horse, come from the Book of Revelation, which is ostensibly about the second coming of Christ and judgment day has also been viewed by many as an allegorical commentary on first century Christianity and Rome. City News Service, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025 Everyone is crammed into the dark and ostensibly cool interior. Zuzana Říhová, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025 The show’s blockbuster 27th season has been airing every other week, as opposed to weekly, to ostensibly give the pair and their staff more time to craft episodes in response to current events. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025 The meeting, ostensibly a political gathering, seems to take a disastrous turn after Byron launches into his Guinness sales pitch. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ostensibly

Word History

Etymology

ostensible + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ostensibly was in 1765

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Cite this Entry

“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostensibly. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

ostensibly

adverb
os·​ten·​si·​bly ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-blē How to pronounce ostensibly (audio)
ə-
: to all outward appearances : seemingly
a statement ostensibly true
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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