to/by all (outward) appearances

phrase

: it seems : according to what other people see

He was, to/by all (outward) appearances, a happily married man.

Examples of to/by all (outward) appearances in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, by all appearances, Florida is testing out a head-in-the-sand approach to measles. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026

The town is essentially a sunny place, full of mostly sunny people, to all appearances, a typical comedy hamlet. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026

The Flynns are, to all outward appearances, a securely middle-class clan situated in some unspecified suburb. — Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2026

That said, Marks shines as a receiver and, by all appearances, he was drafted for that purpose. — Jeff Haverlack, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025

The response before Thursday had been gradual and, by all appearances, low key. — Ashraf Khalil, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025

But by all appearances, the tone has shifted, and those championing ADUs, including the mayor, are open to negotiating. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025