supposedly
Americanadverb
-
according to what is falsely claimed, assumed, or imagined.
In fact, the supposedly "simple" work of digging holes, cutting down trees, and blasting snowdrifts offered her an education of the hands and head.
-
according to what is accepted or believed, without positive knowledge.
Next weekend it's supposedly getting a bit colder again, but I think that winter is over.
Usage
What’s the difference between supposedly and supposably? Supposedly means according to what is believed or accepted, without actually knowing for sure, as in Supposedly, he’s bringing the cake. Sometimes, supposedly means according to what is falsely claimed, assumed, or imagined, as in The supposedly safe ride injured eight people. Supposably is much less commonly used and means about the same thing as presumably or conceivably—as may be assumed, imagined, or supposed to be correct, as in We could supposably make the trip in a single day, but that would be pushing it. Yes, supposably is a “real word.” In a lot of cases, though, it’s mistakenly used in place of supposedly. Still, its meaning may sometimes actually fit the situation (even if the person who said it really meant supposedly).Trying to remember the difference between the meaning of the two words can be tricky because both relate to what is believed or assumed and are adverbs (they’re used to modify or describe verbs or adjectives or even entire statements).Here’s a great way to keep them straight: remember that supposably usually expresses the possibility that something might or could happen or be true, while supposedly often expresses doubt or uncertainty about something happening or being true.Some people avoid using supposably altogether, instead opting for synonyms like presumably and conceivably, which are more common—and more likely to be clearly understood.Here’s an example of supposedly and supposably used correctly in a sentence.Example: With the number of new developers we’re supposedly hiring, we could supposably finish the project by the end of the summer. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between supposedly and supposably.
Etymology
Origin of supposedly
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.
The commission also said that X's breaches included the deceptive design of its "blue checkmark" for supposedly verified accounts, and its failure to provide access to public data for researchers.
From Barron's
Sure, Ernest Hemingway supposedly countered: “They have more money.”
There is another picture with a tray of mail placed at the front, which he explains was first class mail which is to supposedly to be delivered first.
From BBC
After software stocks fell on fears that AI would render those firms’ offerings obsolete, the tornado swept through other supposedly vulnerable sectors, notably financial services, commercial real estate, trucking, and logistics.
From Barron's
After software stocks fell on fears that AI would render those firms’ offerings obsolete, the tornado swept through other supposedly vulnerable sectors, notably financial services, commercial real estate, trucking, and logistics.
From Barron's
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.
