Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ostensible contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ostensible are apparent, illusory, and seeming. While all these words mean "not actually being what appearance indicates," ostensible suggests a discrepancy between an openly declared or naturally implied aim or reason and the true one.

the ostensible reason for their visit

When is it sensible to use apparent instead of ostensible?

The words apparent and ostensible can be used in similar contexts, but apparent suggests appearance to unaided senses that may or may not be borne out by more rigorous examination or greater knowledge.

the apparent cause of the accident

When is illusory a more appropriate choice than ostensible?

Although the words illusory and ostensible have much in common, illusory implies a false impression based on deceptive resemblance or faulty observation, or influenced by emotions that prevent a clear view.

an illusory sense of security

When would seeming be a good substitute for ostensible?

The synonyms seeming and ostensible are sometimes interchangeable, but seeming implies a character in the thing observed that gives it the appearance, sometimes through intent, of something else.

the seeming simplicity of the story

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ostensible Some ostensible environmental regulations are also holding back new clean energy deployment, and in some cases, the red tape is being cynically weaponized against projects like offshore wind farms. Umair Irfan, Vox, 22 Apr. 2025 Tariffs serve an ostensible strategic purpose: reducing reliance on foreign manufacturers to improve national security and rebalancing a system that, over time, has hollowed out the industrial core of the country. Rita Numerof, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 Revelations stars Ryu Jun-yeol (A Taxi Driver) as Pastor Sung Min-chan, Shin Hyun-been (Reborn Rich) as Detective Lee Yeon-hui and Shin Min-jae (Parasyte: The Grey) as the story’s ostensible villain, Kwon Yang-rae. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2025 Meanwhile, Season Three’s ostensible biggest lover of mess, Jason Isaacs, has only continued to fuel the speculation with his characteristically vague-yet-juicy comments about all the off-camera drama that occurred during production. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ostensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensible
Adjective
  • The state Department of Environmental Conservation and the city DEP both cited the MTA earlier this month when an apparent overflow in the depot’s sewage ejection pit ran off into nearby storm drains, spilling what DEC inspectors estimated to be 50 gallons of waste into the bay.
    Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Federal prosecutors also appeared to reveal today that Combs had rejected an apparent plea deal.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • My Maryland street is proof of that and offers a call for states and the rest of the world to carry on the fight for climate solutions as fast as possible.
    Mike Tidwell, Baltimore Sun, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The possible legal tangle between Minnesota and the Trump administration mirrors a similar situation between the administration and Maine, whose leaders have also refused to follow Trump’s anti-trans sports order.
    Abby Monteil, Them., 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Still, Strider was frustrated for obvious reasons and searching for answers.
    David O'Brien, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Hague lamented the rush to reach a deal in the absence of any obvious pressure on Russia but with an intense focus on obtaining for the U.S. the mineral wealth of Ukraine.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Emilia Pérez’s turnout in particular was a fall from seeming dominance, perhaps precipitated by Gascón’s controversy.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2025
  • That night of violence — with its brutality and seeming lack of a motive — has shaken the community.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
  • The race for eighth That does not have a glamorous ring to it, but a European prize is probable for whoever comes out on top.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Massive damages To implement their method, the researchers perform lots of individual models, collectively providing the most probable costs and the likely range around them.
    John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Back in 2003, just months after the U.S. invaded Iraq, toppling President Saddam Hussein on the pretext of supposed weapons of mass destruction that never materialized, Libyan leader Muammar el-Qaddafi agreed to shutter his nation's burgeoning nuclear program in exchange for peace with Washington.
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The internet had been buzzing with rumors that her seductive serenade during the R&B superstar’s live performance sparked a breakup with a supposed husband, but Tillman is calling it all fan fiction.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Ostensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensible. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ostensible

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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