prima facie

adjective

Definition of prima facienext
1
as in presumed
appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed a prima facie case of tax fraud

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in evident
not needing proof in order to be accepted actions that established a prima facie case of discrimination

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prima facie While most states follow absolute speeding limits, some have presumed or prima facie speeding limits, according to a database created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology software engineer John Carr. — Ana Faguy, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2022 Many unsuccessful Black head coach candidates will probably meet this initial (prima facie) case of discrimination. — Eric Bachman, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2022 Yelp argued that it ought not be required to respond to the subpoena because Mirza failed to establish a prima facie case. — Jack Greiner, The Enquirer, 11 Jan. 2022 None of these scenarios is prima facie impossible, and therefore, once raised, none can be dismissed out of hand. — Lindsay Beyerstein, The New Republic, 10 Dec. 2021 See All Example Sentences for prima facie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prima facie
  1. presumed
  2. evident
  3. apparent
  4. obvious
  5. possible
  6. axiomatic
  7. supposed
  8. unmistakable
Adjective
  • The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2025
Definition of presumed
Adjective
  • The camaraderie was evident on the ground here in La Guaira, the coastal city where quake damage was most severe, collapsing dozens of buildings.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • That rotation was quite evident in our portfolio across Wednesday and Thursday, with the likes of AI winner Corning selling off hard and once-unloved Johnson & Johnson finishing the week at a record close.
    — Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 5 July 2026
Definition of evident
Adjective
  • Still Clinton, deep down, did not think that voters would give the majority of their votes to Trump and the reasons were numerous and quite apparent – at least to the Democrats.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 10 July 2026
  • Still, many categories saw the same familiar faces show up, and there’s perhaps nowhere where that’s more apparent than the Animated Series lineup.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
Definition of apparent
Adjective
  • Happy Gilmore is another obvious inspiration (even without the Netflix of it all) whenever Lonnie throws his clubs, talks to his ball, and calls on fans to chant his name before taking a swing.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
  • That particular prompt may have been rejected for an obvious reason, though.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026
Definition of obvious
Adjective
  • Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
    — CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • Probably the producers felt that introducing seven players all at once needed to go as quickly as possible.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of possible
Adjective
  • Statements tend to be axiomatic rather than descriptive of particular individuals.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
  • Just a few years after the arrival of ZF, Kurt Gödel showed that no axiomatic system capable of basic arithmetic can be used to prove its own consistency.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of axiomatic
Adjective
  • But clearly any supposed rivalry between the legendary bands is water under the bridge.
    — Peter Gicas, Entertainment Weekly, 14 July 2026
Definition of supposed
Adjective
  • And as of this week, those unmistakable red letters are up on the building.
    — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • Listening to his composition, I am struck by its beauty, craftsmanship, and the unmistakable sense of wonder that animates it.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 10 July 2026
Definition of unmistakable

Browse Nearby Words

prima donnas
prima facie
primal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prima facie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prima%20facie. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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