ostensible

adjective

os·ten·si·ble ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce ostensible (audio)

ə-

: intended for display : open to view

: being such in appearance : plausible rather than demonstrably true or real

the ostensible purpose for the trip

Example Sentences

That intelligence and those facts, of course, all pertained to Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, the war's ostensible casus belli, which we now know did not exist.

Frank Rich, New York Review, 6 Apr. 2006 To listen again to "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"—probably the most relentlessly cheerful song ever written on the ostensible theme of misery—is at once to admire its delicately judged textures and Swiss-watch precision …

Geoffrey O'Brien, New York Review of Books, 15 Dec. 2005 Its ostensible subject is America's murderous gun culture. Its real subject, of course, is the ravenous ego of its director-star, Michael Moore.

Scott Berg, Time, 14 July 2003 It's a snarky, glory-thieving place, the world of big-bucks political fund raising. Ostensible grownups can be reduced to screaming toddlers over who gets the credit for bringing in a major donor's gift …

Viveca Novak, Time, 14 June 1999 the ostensible reason for the meeting turned out to be a trick to get him to the surprise party

Recent Examples on the Web The vehicle was donated to him by his ostensible competitors at the Michigan State Fair, which kicked off Thursday and runs through Monday at Novi’s Suburban Collection Showcase.

Brian Mccollum, Detroit Free Press, 2 Sep. 2022 The ostensible cause of the death of American democracy was a temporary eviction moratorium enacted by the Centers for Disease Control.

Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 June 2022 While humor is certainly good, our ethical context clearly identifies the benefits of respect for core social identities as superior to those of ostensible comedy.

Eric Pliner, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2022 The presence of x-shaped metal struts in front of the shelves and brick walls in back of them creates a sense of visual layers, giving the photographs a degree of dimensionality cunningly at odds with their ostensible spareness.

Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2022 The ostensible justification for the suit was that the Texas law could be read to apply against the federal government and recipients of federal programs.

Dan Mclaughlin, National Review, 18 Mar. 2022 Although the ostensible purpose of The Real Mo Farah is to illuminate, the details surrounding Farah’s entry into the UK remain sketchy.

Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 15 July 2022 The ostensible purpose of all the pageantry was to celebrate the queen’s birthday, which was in April.

Mark Landler, New York Times, 2 June 2022 The deception does nothing to enhance the ostensible story about childhood trauma, lockdown isolation, and mental illness.

Cory Oldweiler, BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2022 See More

ostensible

adjective

as in apparent

appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed the ostensible reason for the meeting turned out to be a trick to get him to the surprise party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

apparent
presumed
supposed
obvious
seeming
putative
possible
probable
alleged
ostensive
evident
plausible
assumed
reputed
prima facie
demonstrable
superficial
purported
distinct
conceivable
external
outward
visible
imaginary
likely
illusory
supposable
professed
illusive
pseudo
specious
manifest
feigned
delusive
deceptive
delusory
clear
misleading
pretended
phony
claimed
faked
fake
so-called
plain
put-on
phoney

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hidden
impossible
actual
improbable
inconceivable
real
unlikely
implausible
genuine
inapparent
valid
confirmed
established
sure
substantiated
validated
corroborated
authenticated
verified

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of ostensible are apparent, illusory, and seeming. While all these words mean "not actually being what appearance indicates," ostensible suggests a discrepancy between an openly declared or naturally implied aim or reason and the true one.

the ostensible reason for their visit

The words apparent and ostensible can be used in similar contexts, but apparent suggests appearance to unaided senses that may or may not be borne out by more rigorous examination or greater knowledge.

the apparent cause of the accident

Although the words illusory and ostensible have much in common, illusory implies a false impression based on deceptive resemblance or faulty observation, or influenced by emotions that prevent a clear view.

an illusory sense of security

The synonyms seeming and ostensible are sometimes interchangeable, but seeming implies a character in the thing observed that gives it the appearance, sometimes through intent, of something else.

the seeming simplicity of the story

单词	ostensible
释义	ostensible adjective os·ten·si·ble ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-bəl ə- 1 : intended for display : open to view 2 : being such in appearance : plausible rather than demonstrably true or real the ostensible purpose for the trip Did you know? Ostensible comes from Latin ostendere, meaning "to show," and the word suggests a discrepancy between a declared or implied aim or reason and the true one. Synonyms apparent assumed evident ostensive presumed prima facie putative reputed seeming supposed See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences That intelligence and those facts, of course, all pertained to Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, the war's ostensible casus belli, which we now know did not exist. Frank Rich, New York Review, 6 Apr. 2006 To listen again to "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"—probably the most relentlessly cheerful song ever written on the ostensible theme of misery—is at once to admire its delicately judged textures and Swiss-watch precision … Geoffrey O'Brien, New York Review of Books, 15 Dec. 2005 Its ostensible subject is America's murderous gun culture. Its real subject, of course, is the ravenous ego of its director-star, Michael Moore. Scott Berg, Time, 14 July 2003 It's a snarky, glory-thieving place, the world of big-bucks political fund raising. Ostensible grownups can be reduced to screaming toddlers over who gets the credit for bringing in a major donor's gift … Viveca Novak, Time, 14 June 1999 the ostensible reason for the meeting turned out to be a trick to get him to the surprise party Recent Examples on the Web The vehicle was donated to him by his ostensible competitors at the Michigan State Fair, which kicked off Thursday and runs through Monday at Novi’s Suburban Collection Showcase. Brian Mccollum, Detroit Free Press, 2 Sep. 2022 The ostensible cause of the death of American democracy was a temporary eviction moratorium enacted by the Centers for Disease Control. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 June 2022 While humor is certainly good, our ethical context clearly identifies the benefits of respect for core social identities as superior to those of ostensible comedy. Eric Pliner, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2022 The presence of x-shaped metal struts in front of the shelves and brick walls in back of them creates a sense of visual layers, giving the photographs a degree of dimensionality cunningly at odds with their ostensible spareness. Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2022 The ostensible justification for the suit was that the Texas law could be read to apply against the federal government and recipients of federal programs. Dan Mclaughlin, National Review, 18 Mar. 2022 Although the ostensible purpose of The Real Mo Farah is to illuminate, the details surrounding Farah’s entry into the UK remain sketchy. Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 15 July 2022 The ostensible purpose of all the pageantry was to celebrate the queen’s birthday, which was in April. Mark Landler, New York Times, 2 June 2022 The deception does nothing to enhance the ostensible story about childhood trauma, lockdown isolation, and mental illness. Cory Oldweiler, BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology French, from Latin ostensus, past participle of ostendere to show, from obs-, ob- in the way + tendere to stretch — more at ob-, thin First Known Use circa 1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition ostensible adjective os·ten·si·ble ä-ˈsten-sə-bəl : seeming to be true : apparent The ostensible reason for the call was to chat, but then he asked for money. ostensible adjective as in apparent appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed the ostensible reason for the meeting turned out to be a trick to get him to the surprise party Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance apparent presumed supposed obvious seeming putative possible probable alleged ostensive evident plausible assumed reputed prima facie demonstrable superficial purported distinct conceivable external outward visible imaginary likely illusory supposable professed illusive pseudo specious manifest feigned delusive deceptive delusory clear misleading pretended phony claimed faked fake so-called plain put-on phoney Antonyms & Near Antonyms hidden impossible actual improbable inconceivable real unlikely implausible genuine inapparent valid confirmed established sure substantiated validated corroborated authenticated verified See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of ostensible are apparent, illusory, and seeming. While all these words mean "not actually being what appearance indicates," ostensible suggests a discrepancy between an openly declared or naturally implied aim or reason and the true one. the ostensible reason for their visit The words apparent and ostensible can be used in similar contexts, but apparent suggests appearance to unaided senses that may or may not be borne out by more rigorous examination or greater knowledge. the apparent cause of the accident Although the words illusory and ostensible have much in common, illusory implies a false impression based on deceptive resemblance or faulty observation, or influenced by emotions that prevent a clear view. an illusory sense of security The synonyms seeming and ostensible are sometimes interchangeable, but seeming implies a character in the thing observed that gives it the appearance, sometimes through intent, of something else. the seeming simplicity of the story
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ostensible

adjective

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser