supposedly

adverb

sup·​pos·​ed·​ly sə-ˈpō-zəd-lē How to pronounce supposedly (audio)
also -ˈpōzd-lē
Synonyms of supposedlynext
: as is supposed : according to what is or was said, claimed, or believed by some
a supposedly true story
a supposedly good restaurant
He had dozens of people around him, supposedly looking after him …Philip Norman
Daddy took me to the Legion, to shoot pool supposedly.Mary Karr

Examples of supposedly in a Sentence

she's supposedly too sick to come—or so she says
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Addictive pursuits from substance abuse through to gaming supposedly flood the brain with dopamine and hijack our actions. Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 The nonprofit group oversaw a network of food distributors, many of them fraudulent, that stole school nutrition funds by claiming reimbursement for meals supposedly served. Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 13 May 2026 This was supposedly a clear demonstration that Altman’s control over OpenAI isn’t total. Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026 Many eclipse chasers ignored South America's total solar eclipse in 2019, which was short and predicted by some to be cloudy, for a slightly longer, supposedly clearer one in 2020 in almost the same place. Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for supposedly

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of supposedly was in 1597

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Cite this Entry

“Supposedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supposedly. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

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