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
Vegan market-goers should clarify with individual vendors whether any animal products are used in the preparation of ostensibly meatless dishes.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 21 Nov. 2025
Next week is a holiday that's ostensibly about food and gratitude.
—Holly J. Morris, NPR, 21 Nov. 2025
In the odd moment that has since gone viral, the NFL legend confused Long and Strahan on, while ostensibly discussing the Monday Night Football matchup featuring the Chiefs and the Washington Commanders.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 16 Nov. 2025
So is a countdown clock that has been silently running in the background since the start of the show, ostensibly displaying the remaining minutes till the election results are declared.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
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Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 21 Nov. 2025
Next week is a holiday that's ostensibly about food and gratitude.
—Holly J. Morris, NPR, 21 Nov. 2025
In the odd moment that has since gone viral, the NFL legend confused Long and Strahan on, while ostensibly discussing the Monday Night Football matchup featuring the Chiefs and the Washington Commanders.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 16 Nov. 2025
So is a countdown clock that has been silently running in the background since the start of the show, ostensibly displaying the remaining minutes till the election results are declared.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 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 26 Nov. 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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