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

So call it a quiet, workmanlike beginning for the 13th player taken in the NFL draft, a quarterback the Rams ostensibly chose to become Matthew Stafford’s heir apparent. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026

Stripping that out, however, Google still ostensibly had an excellent quarter; its cloud computing business, now the core of the company, soared 82%. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 23 July 2026

Tate runs online courses ostensibly meant to promote masculine values, but a BBC investigation previously found the programs teach men to groom women. — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

What begins as a novel ostensibly about ‘cancel culture’ quickly shifts into a rueful elegy for a dying world. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026