OSTENSIVELY Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

ostensively

adverb

as in seemingly

to all outward appearances he stops by his old office periodically, ostensively just to say "hi"

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensively

Adverb

Karen is newly sober, newly released, and seemingly determined to approach this chapter of her life with an earnestness that the rest of the cast may not be emotionally equipped to accommodate.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
The Beach Boys’ touring machine has been going nearly nonstop for the last 65 or so years, as Stamos and Christian Love noted in the intro, driven by Mike as one of pop music’s most inveterate and even seemingly compulsive tourers.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of seemingly

Adverb

The high-wire act that followed—in which performers had to make these bland conceits into something funny without, ostensibly, preparing any jokes in advance—introduced a tension that made sketch shows feel sedate and uneven by comparison.

— Dan Brooks, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Even as Anthropic ostensibly pleads for guardrails because of AI’s peril, national security anxieties will override any caution – becauseof that same potential power.

— Michael Serazio, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of ostensibly

Adverb

Even a pair of loofahs, presumably used, were supposedly left hanging in the bathroom.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026
Because the movie shies away from condemnation, it has been labeled by some as a MAGA film for supposedly demonizing progressive Norway and making the conservative Gheorghius the victims.

— Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of supposedly

Adverb

Of course, there are also age-old hustles so evidently dishonest that there was a time when their exponents risked being hung or shot.

— Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
He was called up by Zidane to this squad but remains uncapped at senior level and is evidently behind Jacquet in the coach’s thoughts, having been regarded as the outstanding young defender on the market two years ago.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of evidently

Adverb

OpenAI shared a portion of its internal memo to employees, sent by its research leaders, with Fortune—presumably penned by Mark Chen, chief research officer, though the company did not specify.

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
The wall is flanked by works by Lynda Benglis, Eva Hesse and Tom Wesselmann, presumably produced in their Bowery lofts.

— J. Hoberman, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of presumably

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ostensive

ostensively

ostentation

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“Ostensively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensively. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ostensively

adverb

Example Sentences

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