Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

appear

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of appear

1 to come into view
  • a police car appeared just as I ran a red light
Synonyms of appear

come out, materialize, show, show up, turn up, unfold
Words Related to appear

reappear, resurface

bulk, loom

arrive, come

dawn, debut

arise, blossom, bob (up), break, break out, crop (up), emerge, erupt, issue, outcrop, rise, shoot (up), spring (up), surface

happen, occur

reappear, rematerialize
Near Antonyms of appear

depart, leave, retire, withdraw
Antonyms of appear

clear, disappear, dissolve, evanesce, evaporate, fade, go (away), melt (away), vanish
2 to give the impression of being
  • it appears that he doesn't hear you
Synonyms of appear

act, come across (as), come off (as), feel, look, make, seem, sound
Words Related to appear

dissemble, pretend

recall, resemble, suggest

hint, imply, insinuate
3 to come into existence
  • the benefits of the exercise program should appear almost immediately
Synonyms of appear

actualize, arise, begin, break, commence, dawn, engender, form, materialize, originate, set in, spring, start
Words Related to appear

be, breathe, exist, live, subsist

arrive, come on, emerge

coalesce, cohere, shape (up)

continue, endure, last, persist, survive
Near Antonyms of appear

conclude, desist, discontinue, finish, halt, quit, terminate

disappear, dissolve, evaporate, vanish

depart, die, expire, pass away, perish
Antonyms of appear

cease, end, stop
4 to get to a destination
  • a friend who daily manages to appear at our door just as dinner is being served
Synonyms of appear

arrive, come, get in, get through, land, show up, turn up
Words Related to appear

fetch, hit, make, reach

pull in, touch down

debark, disembark

barge (in), blow in, breeze (in), burst (in or into), waltz (in)

check in, clock (in)
Near Antonyms of appear

check out, clock (out)

flee, vamoose
Antonyms of appear

go, leave

Learn More about appear

  1. See words that rhyme with appear Dictionary: Definition of appear Spanish Central: Translation of appear Nglish: Translation of appear for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of appear for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up appear? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

imbroglio

a complex dispute or argument

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. cache BuzzFeed reports on Trump-Cohen documents.

  2. intransigence, intransigent Trump cancels Davos trip.

  3. white supremacist Steve King discusses views.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games