evidently
Americanadverb
adverb
-
without question; clearly; undoubtedly
-
to all appearances; apparently
they are evidently related
Synonym Usage
See clearly.
Etymology
Origin of evidently
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at evident, -ly
Explanation
The adverb evidently is used to describe something that's obvious or easily understood. The kids next door didn't even apologize for breaking our window with their baseball; they evidently have terrible manners. When something is evident, it's plainly clear. You can use evidently when something couldn't be more obvious, whether you're describing a driver who evidently doesn't understand that a yellow light means "slow down" and not "speed up," or a typo-riddled book that was evidently published hastily. The evidence points toward these conclusions, in other words. The Latin root is evidentem, "perceptible, clear, obvious, or apparent."
Vocabulary lists containing evidently
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
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Trash
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My Side of the Mountain
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As nurses who have evidently seen this situation many times try to revive him, Reed’s seemingly placid song turns with a jolt to a stern warning: “You’re gonna reap just what you sow.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
"The requests submitted to the Maldivian authorities... were evidently made outside the scope of the mission authorised by the university," a spokesperson said.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
If the business-casual look is par for the course in American politics, it’s less common across the pond, and was evidently intended to signal a tough-minded reset.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
No hard feelings, evidently: Tarantino later set the trailer for “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” to “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
At first there was nothing interesting to see, as Venus was a full circle in his telescope; it was evidently on the far side of the sun.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
