apparently

American  

[uh-pair-uhnt-lee] / əˈpɛər ənt li /

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.

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apparently British  

/ əˈpɛər-, əˈpærəntlɪ /

adverb

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

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of apparently

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

Explanation

Apparently is an adverb meaning "evidently" or "obviously." After his sixth hot dog, you might say to your friend, "Well! Apparently somebody was hungry!" While apparently can mean "plainly" — like, duh — it can also mean "seemingly," which is almost "evidently" or "obviously," but not quite. There's a certain amount of guessing involved, based on appearances. The park ranger who shows up in the morning to examine the path of destruction through your campsite might say that it was "apparently the work of a hungry bear," not because he's totally sure, but because it definitely looks like something the bears around here would do.

Example Sentences

Four months after being pushed into retirement by the Clippers, future Hall of Famer Chris Paul apparently took delight in the team’s quick exit from the postseason Wednesday night.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

“Former Lieutenant Governor Fairfax was recently served some paperwork associated with an upcoming court proceeding that apparently led to this incident last night,” Davis told reporters.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

Viral baby elephant Linh Mai is apparently pretty sassy.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

At one point, one resident reportedly tried to help the search operation by showing up with their own wolfdog - a plan that apparently hadn't been discussed with authorities.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Everyone concerned apparently assumed they were being paid insurance premiums to take basically the same sort of risk they had been taking for nearly a decade.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• allegedly
• ostensibly
• possibly
• probably
• supposedly