as in apparently
to all outward appearances
ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent
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Recent Examples of ostensibly
But by the mid- to late 2000s, Hudnall had begun forming the first of a number of companies ostensibly involved in the oil and gas industry, according to records filed with the Kansas Secretary of State.
—
Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2025
The Trump administration recently implemented a 40% tariff on transshipments, or the movement of goods to an intermediate destination ostensibly with lower levies, to disincentivize this behavior.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025
The lawsuit and criminal case have now both ostensibly been resolved.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
At the same exact time Monday morning, in what would ostensibly be another corner of the internet, Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast teased their upcoming guest on their social media accounts.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2025
The Trump administration recently implemented a 40% tariff on transshipments, or the movement of goods to an intermediate destination ostensibly with lower levies, to disincentivize this behavior.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025
The lawsuit and criminal case have now both ostensibly been resolved.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
At the same exact time Monday morning, in what would ostensibly be another corner of the internet, Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast teased their upcoming guest on their social media accounts.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensibly
Adverb
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After the game, Padres manager Mike Shildt said a shin that apparently struck a camera was more of the concern.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
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During the summit Friday, lunch was apparently cancelled.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
16 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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The major inciting incident saw Carano sharing a post from another account that seemingly compared the treatment of conservatives in the U.S. during the COVID pandemic to that of Jewish people during Nazi-era Germany.—
Carson Blackwelder,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Swift and Kelce famously started dating in the summer of 2023, and seemingly first confirmed their romance when Swift started popping up at his NFL games in September of that year.—
Lauren Huff,
EW.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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And since China supposedly doesn’t prioritize safety, racing ahead—even recklessly—is the safer long-term bet.—
Brian Tse,
Time,
13 Aug. 2025
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After spending last week hyping Grok's spicy new features, Elon Musk kicked off this week by threatening to sue Apple for supposedly gaming the App Store rankings to favor ChatGPT over Grok.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
12 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Keenan Ivory Wayans will return to produce, while Marlon Wayans and Sean Wayans will presumably help write and star in he newest chapter.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Having high profile people who presumably have access to resources talk about their struggles also is a reminder that these issues are hard for everyone.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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In the income tax context, the FTB has evidently adopted a similar interpretation for whether a business is conducting business or carrying on a business within California and is therefore subject to apportionment.—
Robert W. Wood,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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The more conspiratorially minded went further, suggesting without evidence that LePatner or her colleagues had been Tamura’s actual targets all along — just as Thompson had evidently been singled out by his killer.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
1 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Mental health advisement via poetry is probably not the best route to go.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Minor gastrointestinal discomfort is probably the most common symptom; however, pathogens that may cause only minor sickness in some people may cause serious conditions or death in others, especially in the very young, old, or those with weakened immune systems.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensibly. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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