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 of seemingly

• apparently
• supposedly
• ostensibly
• evidently
• probably
• presumably

Examples of seemingly in a Sentence

a seemingly contented baby who was fast asleep in his crib

Recent Examples on the Web

Delivered in the style of a classic storybook cartoon, à la Winnie the Pooh, Stan encounters a group of seemingly benevolent woodland creatures who need a manger for the birth of their savior. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025

Another video angle shows the woman hitting an employee who had been recording her and then another altercation seemingly occurs out of frame. —Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025

While currently under revision, the CSDDD was seemingly significantly impacted by the omnibus simplification package proposals, though details should emerge from tomorrow’s plenary session. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 16 Dec. 2025

The Miami Dolphins receiver had been asked what could potentially fix the team’s struggling passing attack, which has been out of sync for months, and the fifth-year receiver seemingly had something on his mind, but wasn’t willing to say it out loud. —Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above