seem
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to appear to be, feel, do, etc..
She seems better this morning.
-
to appear to one's own senses, mind, observation, judgment, etc..
It seems to me that someone is calling.
-
to appear to exist.
There seems no need to go now.
-
to appear to be true, probable, or evident.
It seems likely to rain.
-
to give the outward appearance of being or to pretend to be.
He only seems friendly because he wants you to like him.
verb
-
(copula) to appear to the mind or eye; look
this seems nice
the car seems to be running well
-
to give the impression of existing; appear to be
there seems no need for all this nonsense
-
used to diminish the force of a following infinitive to be polite, more noncommittal, etc
I can't seem to get through to you
Related Words
Seem, appear, look refer to an outward aspect that may or may not be contrary to reality. Seem is applied to something that has an aspect of truth and probability: It seems warmer today. Appear suggests the giving of an impression that may be superficial or illusory: The house appears to be deserted. Look more vividly suggests the use of the eye (literally or figuratively) or the aspect as perceived by the eye: She looked very much frightened.
Other Word Forms
- seemer noun
Etymology
Origin of seem
First recorded before 1150–1200; Middle English seme, from Old Norse sœma “to befit, beseem,” derivative of sœmr “fitting, seemly”; akin to sōmi “honor”
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.
John Hughes — who wrote the film’s screenplay but deferred direction to his collaborator, Howard Deutch — had a way of making even the obvious seem natural.
From Salon
Last Sunday’s debacle in an uninspiring and ugly loss to a higher-seeded, more aggressive, more talented and more balanced Celtics team seemed to expose all the flaws that plague this struggling and inconsistent Lakers team.
From Los Angeles Times
Their conclusion seems to have been that this was an opportunity that should not be squandered.
From BBC
Your maintenance man keeps coming back and, it seems, fixing the same problem.
From MarketWatch
Substantial layoffs seem certain, but cost cutting alone won’t make the operation into the sort of entertainment powerhouse that can better compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney.
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.
