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

Citing climate change concerns and the melting ice sheet, Greenland implemented a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in 2021—seemingly bringing all oil dreams to an end—but the government agreed that White Flame’s licenses were grandfathered and remained valid. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025

Beyond its seemingly cinematic plot, the robbery was a clear example of how thieves have started targeting cultural institutions not necessarily for their prized paintings, but for artifacts that can be dismantled, stripped or melted down for their expensive parts. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025

Alison Meneses, who lives in Mexico, posted a clip to @alismeneses on TikTok of her young daughter sat in her highchair, seemingly eating all of her meal. —Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025

The drama surrounding Prince Andrew has seemingly reached an inflection point, and that comes with a lot of interest in the reactions from the people close to him. —Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above