Synonyms

seem

American

[seem] / sim /

verb (used without object)

to appear to be, feel, do, etc..

She seems better this morning.
to appear to one's own senses, mind, observation, judgment, etc..

It seems to me that someone is calling.
to appear to exist.

There seems no need to go now.
to appear to be true, probable, or evident.

It seems likely to rain.
to give the outward appearance of being or to pretend to be.

He only seems friendly because he wants you to like him.

seem British

/ siːm /

verb

(copula) to appear to the mind or eye; look

this seems nice
the car seems to be running well
to give the impression of existing; appear to be

there seems no need for all this nonsense
used to diminish the force of a following infinitive to be polite, more noncommittal, etc

I can't seem to get through to you

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

Seem, appear, look refer to an outward aspect that may or may not be contrary to reality. Seem is applied to something that has an aspect of truth and probability: It seems warmer today. Appear suggests the giving of an impression that may be superficial or illusory: The house appears to be deserted. Look more vividly suggests the use of the eye (literally or figuratively) or the aspect as perceived by the eye: She looked very much frightened.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

seemer

noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of seem

First recorded before 1150–1200; Middle English seme, from Old Norse sœma “to befit, beseem,” derivative of sœmr “fitting, seemly”; akin to sōmi “honor”

Explanation

Seem means "to give a certain impression," usually by physical appearance like your messy hair and wrinkled clothing that made it seem like you just rolled out of bed. The verb seem has several definitions. It can mean "to be apparent, or probable," like the nice person you just met who seems like he'll make a good friend. Seem can also mean "to appear to exist," like when heat shimmering on pavement makes it seem like there is a puddle on the road. The word comes from the Old Norse word soema meaning "to befit, conform to."

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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.

See Examples For:

seem seems seemed seeming

You seem like someone who’s focused on looking forward and what comes next.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Of all the generations, said Pugh, older folks seem to be the ones who use AI “with glee.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

But in a two-star review, external, Empire's Helen O'Hara says the film "tries to examine the difference between surviving and thriving" but "doesn't seem entirely convinced of its own answers".

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

He doesn’t seem to be protecting me from market downturns, and his response when questioned is always that the markets will eventually go back up.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

We saw them lighting up the night sky all along the eastern horizon, and they did seem to be coming much closer all the time.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

To ramp up that part of what humans do just seems like the worst possible thing you could do.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Ms. Rubel, a professor of religion and Jewish studies at the University of Rochester, seems unclear on whether she wants to write for an academic or a popular audience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

England's total seems at least workable, yet Pakistan have the chance to gain a foothold if they bat well.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

“As it stands now, it all just seems like magic realism: ‘We’re tough and we will bring inflation down to 2%, but I’m not going to explain to you how,’” Tetlow said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

Dad seems like he’s trying hard to keep the irritation out of his voice when he says, “You know what I think would be nice—leaving my kids with at least one parent!”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Over recent quarters, Swartz said, investors seemed more willing to embrace a bit more pain, and the stock occasionally trended higher over the spring and summer.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

Resistance at first was fierce, since the idea had never been tried and putting puffin chicks at risk seemed antithetical to the Audubon Society’s creed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

"We went to view the horse and met Tasha and she seemed lovely, it all felt very genuine," said Fiona.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Investors also seemed unbothered; Meta's shares rose 1 percent Wednesday.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

She pawed at her eyes, which seemed to have sprung a leak.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

It also means that as a business strategy, refreshers can chase every single trend that comes up online with seeming ease.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

The seeming lull in job postings and hiring likely stems in part from the five-month-old conflict with Iran and the spike in oil prices.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

"If his rhetoric is as dynamic as his seeming personality and he actually brings to life some of what he's talking about, the next two to three years will be more promising," she added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

He stands awkwardly, like he doesn’t know what to do with his limbs, seeming uncomfortable in his own studio, as if doubting his right to be there.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

She had a way of never seeming surprised by her children’s questions.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023