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 of seemingly

• 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

These seemingly innocuous actions can kindle dry grass, potentially triggering a wildfire. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026

With distinctive communities scattered across thousands of islands, there are seemingly infinite regional delicacies to keep an eye out for. —Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026

The Florida congressman posted a video of Thune seemingly being escorted through Reagan National Airport on Friday, hours after voting to fund DHS without appropriations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement or border security operations. —Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026

Another issue that seemingly was settled concerned the use of Computer Assisted Dispatch for calling Chesterton and Porter Police officers. —Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above