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

"Seemingly every time Rudy gets clocked in the head and the face, which is quite a bit, it's always just, 'Ah that's just two guys, play on. It's nothing,'" Finch said.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

Seemingly the only opera she sang was Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice,” and only in concert performances.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

Seemingly in good health, they have now been rehomed with a Defra-registered veterinary nurse.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

Seemingly out of nowhere he published a bizarre post on Truth Social:

From Salon • Nov. 4, 2025

Seemingly he watched the white horse, but really he watched the triangular steel point of the pic.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway