appearance
Americannoun
-
the act or fact of appearing, as to the eye or mind or before the public.
the unannounced appearance of dinner guests; the last appearance of Caruso in Aïda; her first appearance at a stockholders' meeting.
-
the state, condition, manner, or style in which a person or object appears; outward look or aspect.
a table of antique appearance; a man of noble appearance.
-
outward show or seeming; semblance.
to avoid the appearance of coveting an honor.
-
Law. the coming into court of either party to a suit or action.
-
appearances, outward impressions, indications, or circumstances.
By all appearances, he enjoyed himself.
-
Philosophy. the sensory, or phenomenal, aspect of existence to an observer.
-
Archaic. an apparition.
idioms
-
make an appearance, to come; arrive.
He didn't make an appearance until after midnight.
-
put in an appearance, to attend a gathering or meeting, especially for a very short time.
The author put in an appearance at the cocktail party on her way to dinner.
-
keep up appearances, to maintain a public impression of decorum, prosperity, etc., despite reverses, unfavorable conditions, etc..
They tried to keep up appearances after losing all their money.
noun
-
the act or an instance of appearing, as to the eye, before the public, etc
-
the outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
her appearance was stunning
it has the appearance of powdered graphite
-
an outward show; pretence
he gave an appearance of working hard
-
(often plural) one of the outward signs or indications by which a person or thing is assessed
first appearances are deceptive
-
law
-
the formal attendance in court of a party in an action
-
formal notice that a party or his legal representative intends to maintain or contest the issue
to enter an appearance
-
-
philosophy
-
the outward or phenomenal manifestation of things
-
the world as revealed by the senses, as opposed to its real nature Compare reality
-
-
to maintain the public impression of wellbeing or normality
-
to come or attend briefly, as out of politeness
-
to the extent that can easily be judged; apparently
Related Words
Appearance, aspect, guise refer to the way in which something outwardly presents itself to view. Appearance refers to the outward look: the shabby appearance of his car. Aspect refers to the appearance at some particular time or in special circumstances; it often has emotional implications, either ascribed to the object itself or felt by the beholder: In the dusk the forest had a terrifying aspect. Guise suggests a misleading appearance, assumed for an occasion or a purpose: under the guise of friendship.
Other Word Forms
- preappearance noun
- reappearance noun
- subappearance noun
Etymology
Origin of appearance
First recorded in 1350–1400; appear + -ance; replacing Middle English aparance, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Late Latin appārentia, neuter plural of Latin appārēns apparent
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.
"This is a movie about sacrifice and the pursuit of a dream," the actor said in an appearance on US TV host Jimmy Fallon's show.
From Barron's
The forward, who signed for a Premier League record £125m in the summer, has scored three goals in 16 appearances for Liverpool since making the move from Newcastle in September.
From BBC
He has scored just three goals in 16 appearances since completing his protracted move to Anfield.
From Barron's
Instead he had to make do with an appearance for England A against Spain this autumn.
From BBC
In one of Mortimer's appearances on the BBC's comedy series Would I Lie to You, Mortimer claimed that Rea cracked an egg into a bath for him after they'd finished recording it at his studio.
From BBC
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.
