seem

verb

ˈsēm 

seemed; seeming; seems

intransitive verb

1

: to appear to the observation or understanding

2

: to give the impression of being

Synonyms of seem

• look
• feel
• sound
• appear

Examples of seem in a Sentence

What they're doing doesn't seem right to me.

I tried to cheer them up because they seemed depressed.

Recent Examples on the Web

As crises have accumulated in the decade since, the hoodie’s tight connection to anti-Black violence seems to have loosened. —Dawn Chan, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026

At first glance, AI companions for lonely seniors can seem dystopian, looking less like innovation than a bleak sign of social failure. —Catherine Thorbecke, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026

Special teams, for someone with that combination of size and speed, seems like a fair expectation. —Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026

That seems to have been the case at Cherry Creek Schools, and the board’s failure is a costly lesson for taxpayers. —Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English semen to appear to be, be fitting, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse sœma to honor, sœmr fitting, samr same — more at same

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for seem

• beam
• bream
• cream
• creme
• deem
• dream
• gleam
• meme
• ream
• scheme
• scream
• seam

Kids Definition

seem

verb

ˈsēm 

1

: to give the impression of being : appear

the request seems reasonable

2

a

: to appear to a person's own mind or opinion

can't seem to solve the problem

b

: to appear to be

there seems no reason for worry