seemingly
Britishadverb
-
in appearance but not necessarily in actuality
with seemingly effortless ease
-
(sentence modifier) apparently; as far as one knows
seemingly, he had few friends left
Explanation
Something seemingly true appears to be true. Use the adverb seemingly when you want to say "on the face of it" or "apparently." The word seemingly refers to how things look on the surface — how they seem — and it often suggests there's more to the story. A seemingly broken ankle might actually be sprained, and a seemingly rich man might actually be deeply in debt. While your dog is seemingly well-behaved, he may be eating the garbage when you're not home. Seemingly means about the same as apparently, ostensibly, or surely.
Vocabulary lists containing seemingly
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 7
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This Week In Words: August 8–14, 2020
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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.
Seemingly to discredit the precedent, she argues the Court is too quick to dismiss the idea that the Bruen history test should include post-Civil War Southern laws disarming blacks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
Seemingly everyone in Hollywood was working in 2022 as studios and streaming services went into creative overdrive after Covid shutdowns.
From BBC • Dec. 13, 2025
Seemingly irritated by persistent doubts, Lula said delegates can "sleep under the stars."
From Barron's • Nov. 9, 2025
Seemingly out of nowhere he published a bizarre post on Truth Social:
From Salon • Nov. 4, 2025
Seemingly satisfied that they were in the clear, he gave Mark a stiff nod and slipped into the hallway once again.
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
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.
