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
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
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
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
Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
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
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
-
Two people were killed and seven others were hurt in a shooting during an apparent fight on a street in an entertainment district, the police chief in Richmond, Virginia, said Saturday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
-
There was an apparent surge in Putin’s approval rating after the use of military force against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.—
Elizaveta Gaufman,
The Conversation,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Forecasters are calling for feet of accumulation in the Sierra Nevada, with more than 30 inches possible near Donner Pass by today.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Police later determined the bill of sale was a forgery and the ostensible buyer didn’t exist.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
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The ostensible point of robotaxis is that they’re supposed to be safer drivers than humans.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Pittsburgh retook the lead with five runs in the bottom of the eighth, helped in part by a seeming double-play grounder that took a bad hop and struck Yankees shortstop Tony Kubek in the throat.—
Hillel Italie,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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Giving things a second life—or a third—is a gift of the young architect, who over her decade-long career, has turned tree trunks into tables and tables into storage trunks, never pausing to question an object’s value—or any seeming lack thereof.—
Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar,
Architectural Digest,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The hoarding expert suggested that people may not be checking the most obvious spots in their homes for hidden fortunes.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
21 Feb. 2026
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As a performance artist and musician, Ono has always tried to expose the depth contained within the apparently obvious.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Even if snow conditions improve, the reservoir could still reach dead pool in November — a scenario the bureau dubbed its most probable outcome.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
17 Feb. 2026
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As major league owners meet this week to plot strategy, the powers that be will consider the probable push for a salary cap.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ostensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensive. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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