seeming

1 of 3

noun

seem·​ing ˈsē-miŋ 

: external appearance as distinguished from true character : look

seeming

2 of 3

adjective

: outwardly or superficially evident but not true or real

the seeming immortality of our heroes

seeming

3 of 3

present participle of seem

Synonyms of seeming

Noun

• appearance
• face
• impression
• effect
• show
• semblance

Adjective

• apparent
• presumed
• possible
• obvious
• probable

Choose the Right Synonym for seeming

apparent, illusory, seeming, ostensible mean not actually being what appearance indicates.

apparent suggests appearance to unaided senses that may or may not be borne out by more rigorous examination or greater knowledge.

the apparent cause of the accident

illusory implies a false impression based on deceptive resemblance or faulty observation, or influenced by emotions that prevent a clear view.

an illusory sense of security

seeming implies a character in the thing observed that gives it the appearance, sometimes through intent, of something else.

the seeming simplicity of the story

ostensible suggests a discrepancy between an openly declared or naturally implied aim or reason and the true one.

the ostensible reason for their visit

Examples of seeming in a Sentence

Noun

her altruism is all seeming—she cares only about herself

Adjective

Parents discussed the teacher's seeming lack of interest in the students.

I was fooled by the seeming simplicity of the instructions.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Also very modern-seeming are the complex emotional relationships Perry describes between spouses, parents and their children, siblings or friends from different cultures or societies. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026

And are some Heat fans still upset with the way James left Miami in ‘14 after a seeming falling out with Pat Riley? — Miami Herald, 30 June 2026

Adjective

Yet Marcon’s works defy old-world tempos with their pacing (the shots in Monelle, 2017, last no more than a second each), their length (several clock in at under five minutes), and, of course, the seeming ease with which they can be summarized. — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026

In an interview with Spectrum News, Husted addressed a seeming shift in his position. — Maham Javaid, NPR, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1557, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for seeming

• beaming
• creaming
• deeming
• dreaming
• gleaming
• leaming
• reaming
• scheming
• screaming
• seaming
• steaming
• streaming

Kids Definition

seeming

adjective

seem·​ing

ˈsē-miŋ

: appearing to be real or true : apparent

suspicious of their seeming enthusiasm

seemingly adverb