as in seemingly
to all outward appearances
the lake's putatively pristine water is actually crawling with microorganisms that can wreak havoc with your gastrointestinal system
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Recent Examples of putatively
From the perspective of a world of increasingly unimaginable maldistribution of resources, cascading ecological collapse, a genocide cheered on by a putatively liberal order, both are barbarisms.
—
Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putatively
Adverb
-
As usual, Coon thrives in ambiguity, layering a seemingly straightforward woman with depth.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Good briefly put the vehicle in reverse, then shifted into drive and hit the gas, with the wheels seemingly turned to the right instead of directly ahead toward Ross.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Meanwhile, prosecutors earlier this year charged three other San Diego-area CBP officers in a similar but apparently unrelated case.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The surgery addressed the impingement, but Ball is still apparently affected enough by it to be sidelined in game action for the better part of the last week.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
The most famous, perhaps, was of lung cancer patient David Prueitt, who swallowed a supposedly lethal dose of medication and awoke three days later.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
But as Robby is (supposedly) on his way out, some fresh faces are navigating their very first day in the fray of the Pitt.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
But for now, the people holding the guns and ostensibly running the country are not her supporters, but Nicolás Maduro's.—
Duarte Dias,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Patience is ostensibly a requirement for 21st century Dolphins fans, and more again will be needed.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
The ending in del Toro’s Frankenstein is evidently one of bittersweet hope.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Now, the 30-year-old lefty will hope some other team out there sees him as more of a roster hopeful than the Orioles evidently did.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Additionally, the film will finally unite the Avengers with several actors from Fox's X-Men films, which took place in a separate universe that will presumably crash into Disney's MCU.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
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He’s been spotted in the Bay Area, living his life, presumably enjoying the microclimates and the ability to put the pedal to the metal on Tasman Drive.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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That probably stems from the extraordinary effort his players have produced across this block of fixtures.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Newsom’s closure of that highway, where shrapnel actually fell on police vehicles, probably saved both lives and plenty of property damage.—
Thomas Elias,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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The final two months of the regular season will likely feature all kinds of scratching, pecking and scrapping for divisional leads and postseason berths.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Many of the stones and rings that couples see in stores have likely been in the United States for at least six months.—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Putatively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putatively. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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