seemingly

British  

/ ˈsiːmɪŋlɪ /

adverb

1. in appearance but not necessarily in actuality

   with seemingly effortless ease

2. (sentence modifier) apparently; as far as one knows

   seemingly, he had few friends left

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Explanation

Something seemingly true appears to be true. Use the adverb seemingly when you want to say "on the face of it" or "apparently." The word seemingly refers to how things look on the surface — how they seem — and it often suggests there's more to the story. A seemingly broken ankle might actually be sprained, and a seemingly rich man might actually be deeply in debt. While your dog is seemingly well-behaved, he may be eating the garbage when you're not home. Seemingly means about the same as apparently, ostensibly, or surely.

Example Sentences

But Google Maps, itself seemingly haunted, insisted the boxy plant off of Highway 17 was Griffin’s.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Schwartzman says, seemingly seriously, “Wow, I don’t have a memory of that exact moment, but it is true that my leg does feel heavy.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Still, Gao Zhen's case is remarkable – not only because he is seemingly being punished retroactively, but also because, as Johnson points out, Zhen "did not directly criticise the Communist Party, let alone Xi Jinping".

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

In its trademark application, filed on Feb. 27, Nike had indicated the intention of using the logo on seemingly all types of athletic apparel, including footwear, headwear, shirts, pants, shorts and jackets.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Of all the special features at the hotel, the most special was Reggie, who was seemingly on duty around the clock.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti