appear
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to come into sight; become visible.
A man suddenly appeared in the doorway.
-
to have the appearance of being; seem; look.
to appear wise.
-
to be obvious or easily perceived; be clear or made clear by evidence.
It appears to me that you are right.
-
to come or be placed before the public; be published.
Her biography appeared last year.
-
to perform publicly, as in a play, dance, etc..
He appeared as the king in the play.
-
to attend or be present, especially to arrive late or stay but a short time.
He appeared at the party but left quickly.
-
to come into being; be created, invented, or developed.
Speech appears in the child's first or second year.
-
Law. to come formally, especially as a party or counsel, to a proceeding before a tribunal, authority, etc.
verb
-
to come into sight or view
-
(copula; may take an infinitive) to seem or look
the evidence appears to support you
-
to be plain or clear, as after further evidence, etc
it appears you were correct after all
-
to develop or come into being; occur
faults appeared during testing
-
to become publicly available; be published
his biography appeared last month
-
to perform or act
he has appeared in many London productions
-
to be present in court before a magistrate or judge
he appeared on two charges of theft
Related Words
See seem.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of appear
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ap(p)eren, from Anglo-French, Old French aper-, tonic stem of apare(i)r, apparoir, from Latin appārēre “to be seen, appear,” equivalent to ap- ap- 1 ( def. ) + pārēre “to be visible”
Explanation
If something appears, it comes into view. Rub a magic lamp and a genie will appear. If that's the case, she will grant you three wishes. Appear comes from the Latin apparere meaning "to appear, come in sight, make an appearance." Whether literally materializing or seeming to be true, the word appear is used to describe something coming into sight or presenting itself. The word can also be used to describe an actor appearing in a play. Julie Andrews appeared in the musical "Victor Victoria." When someone looks happy, he appears to be happy. When a detail seems true, it appears to be true.
Vocabulary lists containing appear
Workshop 1, Part 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Jumpstart Your Vocab: Synonyms for "Begin"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ceremony
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Although Pratt and Raman appear to be the strongest challengers to Bass, several long-shot candidates have also made public safety a key issue in their campaigns.
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026
After day 16, however, major differences began to appear.
From Science Daily • May 23, 2026
Elsewhere, steel structures appear variously deflated, vacuum-sealed, flopped, melted and wrinkled.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Nvidia’s forward price-to-earnings ratio is now just over 22 times, making it appear cheaper than competitors.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
The evening is soft, patiently waiting for darkness and the stars to appear.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
