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

Four Hands, Two Sonatas ends with Jeong-yo and Pi-o together again, seemingly free of the pressures and misunderstandings that plagued them for so long. — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

The service Warm, Italian and hyper-local, with a seemingly strong contingent of pre-Anantara staffers, which gives a sense of continuity and harmony. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Von Miller has not just defied his age but seemingly ignored it, and for a long time sacked it. — Mac Engel october 6, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026

And Amazon Prime Big Deal Days offers seemingly endless options to choose from, including some of our top picks below. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above