as in apparent
appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed
the ostensive purpose of his visit was to discuss the terms of his will
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Recent Examples of ostensive
The ostensive unpopularity of violet versus purple nagged at the back of Tager’s mind for much of his life, eventually setting him on a 20-year journey across 193 museums in 42 countries.
—
Stephen MacKnik, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021
Just like Glaucon, the best this new interlocutor could do is an ostensive definition - provide examples of justice - or possibly present the etymology of the word.
—Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
This obviously doesn’t mean the Nuggets reserve unit has transformed into the cream of the crop, and that minus-three remains a concern for a team with ostensive (if diminished) title hopes.
—Joel Rush, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2021
Ask this question to a random group of people, the answer will most likely be ostensive.
—Teddy McDarrah, Forbes, 28 June 2021
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
Stephen MacKnik, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021
Just like Glaucon, the best this new interlocutor could do is an ostensive definition - provide examples of justice - or possibly present the etymology of the word.
—Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
This obviously doesn’t mean the Nuggets reserve unit has transformed into the cream of the crop, and that minus-three remains a concern for a team with ostensive (if diminished) title hopes.
—Joel Rush, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2021
Ask this question to a random group of people, the answer will most likely be ostensive.
—Teddy McDarrah, Forbes, 28 June 2021
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensive
Adjective
-
Separately, Russia’s transport minister was found dead in what authorities said was an apparent suicide — news that broke hours after the Kremlin announced he had been dismissed by Putin.—
Aamer Madhani,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025
-
The disconnect is apparent: students want to build careers around emerging technology, but traditional education isn’t teaching them how.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
The operator lands their FPV by the side of a track or on a rooftop and waits for possible targets, alerted either by a spotter drone or using the drone’s own camera.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
One such rumor: a possible acquisition of Perplexity, the AI-native search engine.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
In the wake of the building collapse, the novel’s ostensible hero, Anthony Carter, is asked to speak at a rally for his neighbors, all rattled by the sudden catastrophe.—
Kevin Lozano,
New Yorker,
6 July 2025
-
Still, each of our ostensible Big Three platforms has a lot riding on the Limited Series race, and some are better positioned than others.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
Emilia Pérez’s turnout in particular was a fall from seeming dominance, perhaps precipitated by Gascón’s controversy.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2025
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That night of violence — with its brutality and seeming lack of a motive — has shaken the community.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
Consolidation by the end of the decade The future of other brands is less obvious, but consolidation among the mainstream brands is likely before the end of the decade.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
The harmful consequences to the economy and food supply is obvious.—
Billal Rahman
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are probable.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 June 2025
-
Prices have since backed down as analysts predicted closing the Strait of Hormuz, while possible, is not probable.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ostensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensive. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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