supposedly

adverb

sup·​pos·​ed·​ly sə-ˈpō-zəd-lē 

also -ˈpōzd-lē

: 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

Synonyms of supposedly

• apparently
• seemingly
• ostensibly
• evidently
• presumably
• probably

Examples of supposedly in a Sentence

she's supposedly too sick to come—or so she says

Recent Examples on the Web

Recently laid off and searching for purpose, Jess reluctantly joins her best friend on a supposedly fun nighttime cemetery tour. — CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

The newest prosecution of Comey, because of a supposedly threatening arrangement of seashells on a beach, is equally unlikely to stand up under prevailing law. — David Baldacci, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026

Now children have balance bikes, which are two-wheelers without pedals—an arrangement that supposedly makes for an easier transition to riding the real thing. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Earlier reports indicated that Stevens endorsed Rogers after attending a recent church service with him, following El-Sayed supposedly disinviting her to an event after defeating her in the state’s August primary. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for supposedly

• composedly