seemingly

British  

/ ˈsiːmɪŋlɪ /

adverb

1. in appearance but not necessarily in actuality

   with seemingly effortless ease

2. (sentence modifier) apparently; as far as one knows

   seemingly, he had few friends left

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Explanation

Something seemingly true appears to be true. Use the adverb seemingly when you want to say "on the face of it" or "apparently." The word seemingly refers to how things look on the surface — how they seem — and it often suggests there's more to the story. A seemingly broken ankle might actually be sprained, and a seemingly rich man might actually be deeply in debt. While your dog is seemingly well-behaved, he may be eating the garbage when you're not home. Seemingly means about the same as apparently, ostensibly, or surely.

Example Sentences

Sometimes bands break up for one specific or large reason, and sometimes it is a chain of events, seemingly unrelated, or not visible from the outside.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

When she wakes one day on her Yesteryear Ranch seemingly in 1855 without electricity, modern medicine or her team of nannies, her throwback lifestyle gets all too real.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

"Still, some appear to be racing forward, seemingly pursuing AI for the sake of AI, without clear regard for the people... that it's ultimately meant to serve."

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

They would appear at seemingly random times: sometimes after physical exertion, but also sometimes after sitting still.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

What the press—and seemingly everyone else—failed to understand was that it was Bobby’s shrewdness in protecting his financial interests, rather than temper tantrums or neuroses, that was making him hesitate.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady