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 film, ostensibly started as a promotional tool, ends up being a paean to pop as a site of projection.
—Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 22 June 2026
Finally, licorice root extract is present, ostensibly for its brightening prowess, which may help fade the appearance of dark circles.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 22 June 2026
But there’s a way to do that, ostensibly to cover surprise costs, and its use recently has exploded.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 21 June 2026
Some non-citizens with work permits are being locked out of jobs that require minimal background checks, ostensibly on the grounds of public safety.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
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Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 22 June 2026
Finally, licorice root extract is present, ostensibly for its brightening prowess, which may help fade the appearance of dark circles.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 22 June 2026
But there’s a way to do that, ostensibly to cover surprise costs, and its use recently has exploded.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 21 June 2026
Some non-citizens with work permits are being locked out of jobs that require minimal background checks, ostensibly on the grounds of public safety.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Cite this Entry
“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostensibly. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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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