reportedly
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of reportedly
Explanation
When something is reportedly true, it means people say it's true, but it hasn't necessarily been confirmed. If your favorite band is reportedly coming to town, it may just be an unfounded rumor. The word reportedly implies that information has been shared by others, but it hasn't been officially verified. For example, if someone says they've heard that a new movie is in the works, but there's no official announcement yet, then it is reportedly happening. Using the word reportedly helps indicate that the details are not certain, reminding us to take such news with a grain of caution until all the facts are in.
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.
Four years later, Verizon sold Mapquest to System1 for a sum so reportedly tiny that Verizon did not file any public paperwork to record it, Business Insider reported.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
United Flight 93 was one of four hijacked jets and was reportedly headed to the US Capitol when passengers and crew onboard fought the hijackers, before it crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all aboard.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
Ive, Apple’s design chief and a longtime Jobs disciple, departed Apple in 2019, reportedly frustrated with the company’s heavy focus on operations.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
The Sun on Sunday reports that ITV is reportedly "in talks" about bringing back the X Factor seven years after the last UK series.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
He was reportedly the first man to send a car down into Death Valley and the first to push over the snowbanks of the Sierra Nevada, performing the feat on an annual basis.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
