reportedly

American  

[ri-pawr-tid-lee, -pohr-] / rɪˈpɔr tɪd li, -ˈpoʊr- /

adverb

1. according to report or rumor.

   Reportedly, he is a billionaire.

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reportedly British  

/ rɪˈpɔːtɪdlɪ /

adverb

1. according to rumour or report

   he is reportedly living in Australia

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Etymology

Origin of reportedly

First recorded in 1900–05; report + -ed ² + -ly

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

“Without religion Palestine does not mean a thing,” he reportedly once told an American Zionist visitor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

A recipe from the court of Akbar reportedly called for equal parts of lentils, rice and ghee, according to NPR.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

News of Meta executives reportedly considering a stock offering comes quickly after Google parent Alphabet outlined a plan to issue $80 billion in stock to fund its AI spending spree.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Robbie Keane, a one-time Celtic player, had been linked with the Celtic manager's job and has reportedly left Ferencvaros.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

It was all the more extraordinary given the record of the trainer in question; aside from Fair Knightess, Tom Smith had reportedly never had a horse in his care suffer a serious injury.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand