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

The sprinklers reportedly were not operating when firefighters made entry into the warehouse, according to ABC7.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

Paramount has reportedly been exploring the possibility of selling the Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network channels to address the concerns of E.U. regulators.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

OpenAI is reportedly considering significant price reductions for its AI tokens to compete with rival Anthropic.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

In 2023, the Village People’s manager reportedly sent the campaign a cease-and-desist letter after a look-alike group was hired to perform the song “Macho Man” at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Will Bates, who a month before had been an unheard-of math teacher, was suspended from his job with pay, reportedly because of concerns over his safety if he continued to teach at Carter.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger