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

Noncitizens have testified about similar conditions at supposedly temporary ICE detention facilities around the country. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 24 June 2026

Her job is supposedly to promote equity and tolerance. —Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026

In Belfast, social media helped circulate both the attack footage and the lists of addresses supposedly linked to immigrants and their defenders. —Donathan L. Brown, The Conversation, 24 June 2026

Fans of the drink appreciate it for its affordable price and, supposedly, strong ratio. —Molly Burford, Southern Living, 24 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for supposedly

• composedly