seemingly

adverb

seem·​ing·​ly ˈsē-miŋ-lē 

: outwardly or apparently

—used to indicate how something appears or seems

a seemingly simple problem [=a problem that seems simple]

a seemingly endless project [=a project that seems to have no end]

The balance of nature—an ideal state in which every species is in its right place—is seemingly being upended.

—Bryan Walsh

These were years in which seemingly every city authority from Adelaide to Oslo had set its heart on the construction of an unsurpassably iconic building …

—Ellis Woodman

Then, in 1929, taste arbiter Emily Post sanctioned a seemingly irreversible shift in manners: "No rule of etiquette is of less importance than which fork we use."

—Douglas Brenner

Dumbledore had most of the remaining Death Eaters grouped in the middle of the room, seemingly immobilized by invisible ropes.

—J. K. Rowling

Synonyms

• apparently
• evidently
• ostensibly
• ostensively
• presumably
• putatively
• supposedly

Examples of seemingly in a Sentence

a seemingly contented baby who was fast asleep in his crib

Recent Examples on the Web

New 70th anniversary entertainment, outfits and more The theme of the 70th anniversary is Celebrate Happy and everything about it – from its infectiously bubbly and seemingly ubiquitous theme song performed by the Jonas Brothers to its bright blue, pink and purple decor – is designed to delight. —Eve Chen, USA Today, 17 May 2025

But today, there’s sometimes a vague assumption that vast amounts of seemingly random business data will come in useful somehow, so it’s kept for years at huge expense. —Claus Jepsen, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

As a teenager, Fred suffered from multiple instances of head trauma, seemingly changing his personality. —Alex Gurley, People.com, 16 May 2025

The Tenant by Freida McFadden An unemployed man and his fiancée take in a seemingly kind tenant, but their new lodger's mysterious presence soon reveals a dark side that threatens to unravel their lives. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 16 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above