C1adverb2K

Seemingly

UK /["/ˈsiːmɪŋli/"]/US /["/ˈsiːmɪŋli/"]/

Definition

in a way that appears to be true but may in fact not be

In simple words: It looks like something or appears to be true.

Examples

a seemingly stupid question
a **seemingly endless** journey
It was a seemingly impossible task.
Seemingly, he borrowed the money from the bank.
They were seemingly having an affair.

Usage notes

Use 'seemingly' to express how something appears rather than how it is. It's neutral, suitable for both spoken and written contexts but should be avoided in very casual conversations.

Grammar pattern

seemingly + adjective/adverb

Memory hint

Think of 'seem' as shining a light on something that looks a certain way.

Collocations

seemingly calm
seemingly simple
seemingly unrelated
seemingly impossible
seemingly endless

Synonyms

apparently

Antonyms

obviously
evidently

Common mistakes

Confused with 'seeming' as a participle.
Using it in overly casual contexts.
Mixing it up with similar words like 'apparently'.