apparently

[uh-pair-uhnt-lee]

adverb

1. as far as can be known or supposed.

   I discussed both options with the litigants, and they are apparently agreeable to either one.

2. obviously; clearly.

   Apparently, the tornado went right through the center of the town’s eastern district.

apparently

/ əˈpɛər-, əˈpærəntlɪ /

adverb

1. (sentence modifier) it appears that; as far as one knows; seemingly

Word History and Origins

Origin of apparently¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English; apparent ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

“Defendants apparently believe that the June 7 memorandum — issued in response to events in Los Angeles — indefinitely authorizes the deployment of National Guard troops anywhere in the country, for virtually any reason,” Hu wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

The PM was apparently referring to the Dublin III regulation - which the UK formally exited on 1 January 2021.

From BBC

They'll have plenty of time to perfect it next year, though, when the whole clan set off on tour together, apparently oblivious to the fact that most family road trips end in disaster.

From BBC

On Monday, Hollinrake asked the commission to revisit the case pointing to leaked emails - apparently from a Labour Together lawyer to Mr McSweeney - that had come to light.

From BBC

They apparently couldn’t get past Harris’ attack on Biden for his opposition to busing during the first debate of the 2020 Democratic primary season.

From Salon

Related Words

• allegedly 
• ostensibly 
• possibly 
• probably 
• supposedly 

When To Use

What does apparently mean?

Apparently means seemingly so based on the appearance of things. It’s a way of saying “it seems that” something is the case or is true.Apparently is the adverb form of the adjective apparent, which can mean readily seen, clear, obvious, or according to appearances. Apparently is most often used in this last sense—referring to things that appear a certain way but may not actually be so. In this way, apparently is often used as a sentence modifier, meaning that it modifies or changes the meaning of the entire sentence. It does this by qualifying the rest of the statement, as in We owe $500, apparently. It can also be used as a sentence substitute, meaning it can be used as a one-word response to a question.Example: Apparently, the store is closed, at least according to what Jim told me—I’ll double check.