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
Supersonic aircraft and enchanted broomsticks, remote controls and wands, both technology and magic ostensibly offer alternatives to physical exertion and enable otherwise impossible feats.
—
Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
The original post was ostensibly criticizing a United Airlines program that gave students at three historically Black colleges and universities an opportunity to interview for a pilot-training program.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025
Whether low-budget films or all-star productions, some American producers didn’t particularly care where their ostensibly Southeast Asian movies were set, as Knee notices.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 18 June 2025
Iran clearly wants to de-escalate its hot war with Israel, which is now in its fifth day and ostensibly over a nuclear program Israel sees as an existential threat.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
The original post was ostensibly criticizing a United Airlines program that gave students at three historically Black colleges and universities an opportunity to interview for a pilot-training program.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025
Whether low-budget films or all-star productions, some American producers didn’t particularly care where their ostensibly Southeast Asian movies were set, as Knee notices.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 18 June 2025
Iran clearly wants to de-escalate its hot war with Israel, which is now in its fifth day and ostensibly over a nuclear program Israel sees as an existential threat.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensibly
Adverb
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But with the Trump administration apparently less committed to driving ceasefire negotiations, the conflict seems likely to drag on through the end of the year and into 2026.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
29 June 2025
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That footage, shot by a bystander and obtained by ABC 7, shows federal agents in tactical vests and masks smashing the windows of a large white pickup truck before apparently pulling out a man from inside.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Adverb
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The first is the fact that PC performance is horrible, and for many, seemingly getting worse over time with Capcom’s fixes failing or not coming fast enough, even months after release.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
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This realization reconfigures the entire book, recasting their ongoing dialogue and seemingly cordial relations as an interstellar jail—and the novel itself into an extended, especially cruel prison sentence.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
21 June 2025
Adverb
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As unsettling truths begin to surface, Maya discovers her supposedly ordinary life might be an elaborate fabrication.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
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Twain supposedly said that too, but then again, there are sites claiming that the legend of American literature didn’t say that either.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2025
Adverb
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If the positions rest on loyalty, or fealty, or even punishment, how is that person supposed to deal with being isolated with presumably dangerous criminal inmates in the middle of a swamp?—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2025
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With billions of dollars, even trillions, at stake for AI developers and the artistic community at stake, no one expects the law to be resolved until the issue reaches the Supreme Court, presumably years from now.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
Adverb
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Investor confidence is evidently reflected in the stock’s elevated valuation—but with greater height comes a steeper potential fall.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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While no March firings at the park had been confirmed, staff reductions at other National Park Service sites evidently played a role in the shorter hours here.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 June 2025
Adverb
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The most well-known is probably central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), which was first identified in 1968 and is now one of the leading forms of hair loss among Black women.—
Zahra Spencer,
Allure,
24 June 2025
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The assignment probably won’t be anywhere near as difficult this time.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensibly. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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