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

What we don’t know is good for him, apparently.

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Hamas, meanwhile, was apparently convinced that keeping the hostages had become a burden, giving Israel a reason to continue fighting.

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Hewas struck by a rubber bullet and hit with tear gas last week in an apparently unprovoked attack by DHS agents.

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The other slipped out a back door, apparently never identified.

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“I thought I was providing equal quality puppies at the time, and apparently, I wasn’t at that point, except for my own home bred.”

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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.