seemingly

adverb

seem·​ing·​ly ˈsē-miŋ-lē 

: outwardly or apparently

—used to indicate how something appears or seems

a seemingly simple problem [=a problem that seems simple]

a seemingly endless project [=a project that seems to have no end]

The balance of nature—an ideal state in which every species is in its right place—is seemingly being upended.

—Bryan Walsh

These were years in which seemingly every city authority from Adelaide to Oslo had set its heart on the construction of an unsurpassably iconic building …

—Ellis Woodman

Then, in 1929, taste arbiter Emily Post sanctioned a seemingly irreversible shift in manners: "No rule of etiquette is of less importance than which fork we use."

—Douglas Brenner

Dumbledore had most of the remaining Death Eaters grouped in the middle of the room, seemingly immobilized by invisible ropes.

—J. K. Rowling

Synonyms

• apparently
• evidently
• ostensibly
• ostensively
• presumably
• putatively
• supposedly

Examples of seemingly in a Sentence

a seemingly contented baby who was fast asleep in his crib

Recent Examples on the Web

While there are some situation-specific factors that have colored the past couple of seasons, like Swift's pop-cultural presence and seemingly every commercial break featuring K.C., there's also a general human impulse to support the underdog, even if that may seem counterproductive. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025

For Bulls fans seemingly stuck in a time loop, not so much. —Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025

The proof theatrically is that the production is a rapt and riotous collective with a long list credits all seemingly on the same wildly unpredictable page. —Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2025

Ever feel like your hair seemingly thinned overnight? —Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 9 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above