as in seemingly
to all outward appearances
he stops by his old office periodically, ostensively just to say "hi"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensively
Adverb
-
University City is filled with yellow rezoning signs and cleared land seemingly on every corner.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026 -
Professionals in Mexico’s arts community had protested the initially vague plans to export the collection of 160 artworks, seemingly for an indefinite period of time, to the Santander bank’s new cultural center, the Faro Santander.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Even at an early age, apparently, the patient had a few small, smooth, normal patches of skin; some had stayed the same size, but others had grown and spread.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The Granville Suite, once military reception rooms, is named after Christine Granville, rumored lover of Ian Fleming and apparently Churchill’s favorite spy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
In January 1979, the shah left Iran, ostensibly to seek cancer treatment.—
Jeffrey Fields,
The Conversation,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Which means your job is ostensibly to try to make people better bosses, right?—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Plenty of developments are alarming right now, even as America is supposedly becoming great again.—
Beverly Gage,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The president himself chose not to name a new full-time national security adviser after removing Mike Waltz, who had included a journalist in supposedly secure communications regarding military action.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Markström, evidently unhappy at Shesterkin pushing Cotter, skated down the ice and asked Shesterkin to fight.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Zuck evidently can’t grow a beard, but Ezra Klein and Senator Chris Murphy have.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Javan Buchanan - Fifth-year forward Buchanan had presumably finished his college career the same night that Boise State’s season ended with a disappointing Mountain West Tournament first-round loss to San Jose State.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Altman’s share would presumably be worth more.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ostensively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensively. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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