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

Their beef escalated this week when Matthews posted a TikTok seemingly throwing shade at Paul, and all hell broke loose. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026

Many believe that the reason the good opportunities have seemingly disappeared is because the market is too crowded. — Justin Donald, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

The running back, 25, had a career night in his first game with the Chiefs, tallying 173 rushing yards on 23 carries, seemingly repelling opponents which resulted in multiple Broncos missed tackles. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026

To spend two and a half minutes studying that goal so forensically, and then seemingly lose sight of how Fernandez, from an offside position, distracted Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens, is the worst of both worlds. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above