ostensibly

adverb

ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-blē How to pronounce ostensibly (audio)
Definition of ostensiblynext
as in apparently
to all outward appearances ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ostensibly Carr said that the license review is ostensibly about Disney’s DEI practices, though ABC cites First Amendment concerns in its renewal. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2026 Orioles manager Craig Albernaz came to the mound ostensibly to pull his starter, who had been brilliant most of the day, retiring the first 12 batters of the game in order before a walk and a home run by Spencer Steer in the fifth. — C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 6 July 2026 The guests themselves were given very little information in the lead-up to the wedding, ostensibly to prevent leaks. — Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 4 July 2026 This spiritual, metaphysical, and downright weird show is ostensibly about a nun’s quest to find and destroy the Holy Grail, which will result in the deactivation of the powerful, pervasive AI that gives the series its name. — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensibly
  1. apparently
  2. seemingly
  3. supposedly
  4. presumably
  5. evidently
  6. probably
Adverb
  • None of the Heat’s young former SEC standouts apparently did enough to warrant consistent minutes.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • Kennedy’s years as an anti-vaccine activist apparently hasn’t sat well with the Seinfeld co-creator.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 July 2026
Definition of apparently
Adverb
  • Beneath red tinsel and in the dim glow of club lighting, six young couples kiss, each seemingly wrapped up in their own little worlds.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • The Seminoles seemingly didn’t have the funding to be aggressive in the transfer portal and signed Daniels to fill the void at quarterback.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of seemingly
Adverb
  • The United Auto Workers recently criticized General Motors for installing about 50 new robot arms at the automaker’s flagship electric vehicle factory in Detroit after laying off more than 1,300 workers as a supposedly temporary measure.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026
  • The one god who periodically turns up, Zendaya’s Athena – supposedly Ulysses’ divine protector against the wrath of Zeus and Poseidon and all the rest – has surprisingly little to do in this version.
    — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 16 July 2026
Definition of supposedly
Adverb
  • But taxpayers did foot the bill for those stadiums at one point, presumably with the expectation that they could be used for a wide variety of events – including potential World Cup games.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Finally, he is taken away by two men in white suits, presumably to a psychiatric ward.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 18 July 2026
Definition of presumably
Adverb
  • But the organization evidently believes the veteran left-hander still provides valuable pitching depth as injuries continue to mount throughout the season.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Prime parking spots in New York City are evidently worth fighting a stranger on a sidewalk for.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
Definition of evidently
Adverb
  • The previous disruptions to shipping between 2023 and 2025 probably cost some $20 billion a year, according to industry estimates.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • The biggest hope was probably SpaceXAI, trumpeting the promise of generative artificial intelligence.
    — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of probably

Browse Nearby Words

ostensible
ostensibly
ostensive
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensibly. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All