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

The longer the song goes on, the more the relentless pulse of the drums starts to seem indifferent and mechanical, an actual machine with no awareness of human life, while the drones grow longer and feel more and more like deep sighs. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

Things seemed to hit bottom after the 2008 financial crisis, prompting Phil Plummer, who was then Montgomery County Sheriff, to enter politics. — Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026

The political situation in the United States may have made the prospect of an American pope seem even more unlikely. — Scott Detrow, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026

Typically, being a top-25 team in the nation makes your home games a hot ticket, but that doesn't seem to be the case for the Houston Cougars. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 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