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
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That confidence — and the apparent embrace of both her Chinese and American cultural identities — oozes through one particular family photograph.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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The Americans gradually amplified their attack centered around Pulisic’s runs — and three minutes after an apparent goal from Balogun was erased by an offside call, Pulisic again drove the left side and got a deflected pass to the trailing Balogun, who banged it home.—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
-
Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area beginning early Wednesday, and are expected within the warning area beginning later on Wednesday.—
MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Russia has unarguably struggled to capitalize on its ostensible overwhelming military power since the start of the Ukrainian War.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 May 2026
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The full-length rerecording—now shorn of expletives—celebrates the record’s 10th anniversary (with the unintended consequence of sparking a discourse about Toledo’s ostensible religious views).—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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One creator combining these two phenomena — catering to a seeming infinity of niche interests while also showing his face to stay on YouTube’s good side — is Simon Whistler.—
Andrew Zucker,
HollywoodReporter,
13 June 2026
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But so far Indiana is off to just a 6-5 start this year, while Clark has seen a seeming decline in shooting accuracy.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Here, a crucial asymmetry becomes obvious.—
Anand Menon,
Time,
13 June 2026
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Move The Bird Bath or Bird Feeder This may seem obvious, but if your bird bath or bird feeder is close to the porch, your home is a good landing spot for birds to enjoy.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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In 1985, a young center named Patrick Ewing, who had just starred at Georgetown, came to the Garden and a turnaround seemed not only possible but probable.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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But while a stronger event raises the odds and probable scale of impact, the true total won’t be known for years because the losses compound over time.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ostensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensive. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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