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

Barefoot shoes are the trend that’s seemingly filling up every social media feed in my arsenal. —Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025

While seemingly more silly than scientific, here’s what a selection of some real-world objects and activities — like hot dogs, movie-going, pawn loans, cardboard boxes, camping and gas station snacks — can tell us about the state of the American consumer and broader economy. —Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025

Kelly Moonstone, New Moon Kelly Moonstone explores the breadth of creative license on her debut album New Moon, a project seemingly crafted as a TV Show chronicling a woman named Tsuki’s trials of life and love. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025

The clip shows Mason just sitting in the middle of the room, seemingly blocking everything else out and ignoring the dogs around him. —Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above