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
• supposedly
• ostensibly
• evidently
• probably
• presumably

Examples of seemingly in a Sentence

a seemingly contented baby who was fast asleep in his crib

Recent Examples on the Web

Narrative has a seemingly relentless, ungovernable momentum, but humans retain a control over war stories that does not extend to war itself. —Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025

On Tuesday, Kalysha seemingly alluded to Champ's death in a post to her X account. —Amy McCarthy, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025

At the same time, Ncuti Gatwa, the 15th Doctor, exited the show under something of a cloud, seemingly handing over the keys to a familiar face in Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025

These seemingly small actions can lead to dry grass ignition, potentially sparking a wildfire. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above