ostensibly

American  

[o-sten-suh-blee] / ɒˈstɛn sə bli /

adverb

1. in appearance only; supposedly.

   The event was ostensibly for charity, but he mainly used it to promote his new book.

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Other Word Forms

• nonostensibly adverb
• unostensibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of ostensibly

First recorded in 1760–70; ostensib(le) ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

The Colombians would mark the bricks with a dragon symbol, inspired by a bracelet Kassis wore, and ship them to the Syrian port of Latakia in a container ostensibly laden with bananas.

From The Wall Street Journal

Though no real details about the new film were revealed, references to it peppered the conversation as if it were very much on Spielberg’s mind — the film he was ostensibly there to promote.

From Los Angeles Times

Platforms like X and TikTok ostensibly exist for users to express personal opinions, but their modern function is to amplify and monetize arguments.

From Salon

It relied on Dreyer’s ostensibly disinterested advice, which was backed by powerful superior officers with whom he had ingratiated himself, even though a majority of expert gunnery officers unequivocally opposed it.

From The Wall Street Journal

But no map is perfect, so on a snowy morning last month, I set out with my chief of staff and chief counsel to visit the six ostensibly unserved sites.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• evidently
• officially
• seemingly
• supposedly