as in looks
to give the impression of being
I tried to cheer them up because they seemed depressed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 seems
Exactly how its effects will work through the economy is impossible to say, but serious disruption of one kind or another seems likely.
—
Editorial, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
In a sane world, Congress would put a stop to it and reassert its own power to regulate import duties; unfortunately, this particular GOP Congress seems content enough to be a lapdog watching Trump usurp them and damage the economy and our international standing.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
But for malls like Lincolnwood and Northbrook Court, which have long promised redevelopment projects of their own but haven’t made significant progress, the future seems grim.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Quantum physics says information cannot be destroyed, yet black hole evaporation seems to suggest otherwise.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
The friend seems to do his best to avoid crumbs or a mess in the car, but inevitably there are occasional leftovers that go beyond the aroma.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
Beating the Knicks four straight times — including twice in New York — seems like a much harder hill to climb for Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers.
—CBS News, 9 May 2026
Reasonable minds can disagree, though, and cynicism seems hasty.
—Kansas City Star, 9 May 2026
Now a bunker seems to occupy the entire mind of his successor.
—Neil Flanagan, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
Editorial, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
In a sane world, Congress would put a stop to it and reassert its own power to regulate import duties; unfortunately, this particular GOP Congress seems content enough to be a lapdog watching Trump usurp them and damage the economy and our international standing.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
But for malls like Lincolnwood and Northbrook Court, which have long promised redevelopment projects of their own but haven’t made significant progress, the future seems grim.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Quantum physics says information cannot be destroyed, yet black hole evaporation seems to suggest otherwise.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
The friend seems to do his best to avoid crumbs or a mess in the car, but inevitably there are occasional leftovers that go beyond the aroma.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
Beating the Knicks four straight times — including twice in New York — seems like a much harder hill to climb for Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers.
—CBS News, 9 May 2026
Reasonable minds can disagree, though, and cynicism seems hasty.
—Kansas City Star, 9 May 2026
Now a bunker seems to occupy the entire mind of his successor.
—Neil Flanagan, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seems
Verb
-
In person, Magyar gives every indication of being magnanimous and down-to-earth, smiling easily, thanking everyone profusely, and treating his son with what looks like authentic affection, even when the cameras aren’t rolling.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
January 20 – February 18 Something clicks today, and suddenly the future looks much brighter.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Adjust the pace, keep moving, and follow what feels expansive.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
The latest Disney super app concept feels like a solution in search of a problem that nobody wants or needs, according to the Disney Tourist Blog’s Tom Bricker.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Guthrie would later express dissatisfaction with Watts-Russell’s dry production on Garlands, and the band’s Roland TR-808 drum machine sounds less stylish without the cavernous reverb that would become a signature of every subsequent release.—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
12 May 2026
-
And the story sounds like a heartbreaker, following a composer Elliot (Brody) who invites his daughter Emma (Zegler) on a gay cruise through the Caribbean in 1991 at the height of the AIDS crisis.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The stabbing of two men in a Jewish neighborhood in London appears to be the latest in a series of antisemitic attacks in the United Kingdom since the beginning of the American-Israeli war against Iran, in late February.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
After months of allowing customers to openly carry guns in its Florida stores, Publix appears to have changed its policy.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Seems.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seems. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
