Synonyms of ostensibly

ostensibly

adverb

ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-blē 

as in apparently

to all outward appearances

ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent

Synonyms & Similar Words

• apparently
• seemingly
• supposedly
• presumably
• evidently
• probably
• ostensively
• likely
• visibly
• perhaps
• obviously
• maybe
• on the surface
• putatively
• clearly
• possibly
• surely
• distinctly
• outwardly
• purportedly
• allegedly
• externally
• credibly
• conceivably
• reportedly
• reputedly
• professedly
• positively
• manifestly
• presumedly
• supposably
• assuredly
• believably
• assumably
• mayhap
• plainly
• self-evidently
• perchance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• incredibly
• impossibly
• improbably
• implausibly

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ostensibly

Arteta named Bukayo Saka and 16-year-old Max Dowman among his nine substitutes, ostensibly both covering the right-wing position — yet there was no place for Martinelli. — James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

The fracas in the video, of course, is a distraction from the music that’s playing in the background, ostensibly a song from the record, which is notable since the announcement didn’t come with a track list or a single. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

Critics dismissed the polls, held in phases in December and January, as a sham designed to consolidate the military’s grip on power while ostensibly restoring civilian rule. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

The ostensibly patriotic event repeated every year, serving as a kind of decoy, an excuse for tribal members to gather and dance. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026