as in apparently
to all outward appearances
ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ostensibly
The court’s ruling in Trump v. CASA in late June ostensibly was not about the long-standing practice of birthright citizenship itself.
—
Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025
By the autumn of 1967, POP was closed – ostensibly for repairs but in fact for good.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025
Then there are the firms creating the AI tools themselves — the ones other businesses are ostensibly looking to purchase and deploy to automate their workforces.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 4 July 2025
While speculation is already underway about which films will ostensibly launch their awards campaigns during the upcoming fall film festivals, here’s something worth remembering: the last four Best Picture winners all, quite notably, premiered before a fall festival run.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025
By the autumn of 1967, POP was closed – ostensibly for repairs but in fact for good.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025
Then there are the firms creating the AI tools themselves — the ones other businesses are ostensibly looking to purchase and deploy to automate their workforces.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 4 July 2025
While speculation is already underway about which films will ostensibly launch their awards campaigns during the upcoming fall film festivals, here’s something worth remembering: the last four Best Picture winners all, quite notably, premiered before a fall festival run.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensibly
Adverb
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The Yankees apparently found a tip in Munoz' slider, and runners on second would notify the batter by waving their arms in a circle if Munoz were throwing a breaking ball.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
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Those cabins have been around for decades, historical aerial photos show, apparently before the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s first floodzone maps were developed.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
Adverb
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Address: Livadia Bay, Antiparos 840 07, Greece This luxury beach resort took the idea of bohemian design and went all-in—there’s a woven pendant light or bamboo furniture item seemingly around every corner.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
15 July 2025
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This is seemingly a message to the people who are doubting him.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Adverb
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In the United Kingdom, someone who uttered supposedly right-wing speech might spend more time in prison than a person convicted of horrific crimes, even if the government has acknowledged the evidence supporting their statements.—
Abigail Anthony,
National Review,
18 July 2025
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There was, however, supposedly a snag: The roof was covered in gravel – an uncomfortable and potentially hazardous surface for women wearing pumps.—
Violet Ikonomova,
Freep.com,
17 July 2025
Adverb
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Soon, the arrival of an old friend and familiar jeopardy force Dexter to head down to New York City himself, presumably seeking Harrison.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
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This fact alone tells us that interstellar objects were being produced relatively early in the lifetime of the galaxy, presumably along with exoplanetary systems.—
Darryl Seligman,
Space.com,
10 July 2025
Adverb
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Those are no doubt All-Star caliber numbers to most, but evidently not good for the folks that make the decisions on All-Star Game replacements.—
Andrew Wright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
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The veteran actor played NYPD Commissioner - and Danny's father - Frank Reagan, but the team behind Boston Blue evidently wanted to explore the younger branches of the Reagan family tree.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
10 July 2025
Adverb
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The most favorable states probably are South Dakota, Nevada, Alaska, and Delaware, but don’t rule out others.—
Bob Carlson,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Wink is one of those, and probably the one that sits at the top of the list.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensibly. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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