Synonyms for ostensible
- adjective
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Apparent — apparent, evident; meant for open display
apparent, seeming, obvious, conspicuous, plausible, notable, blatant, superficial, specious, visible, outward, colorable US, colourable UK, plain, glaring, evident, palpable, noticeable, manifest
Definitions
- adj. 1
Apparent, evident; meant for open display.
- adj. 2
Appearing as such; being such in appearance; professed, supposed (rather than demonstrably true or real).
The ostensible reason for his visit to New York was to see his mother, but the real reason was to get to the Yankees game the next day.
Related words
- Word family
- ostensibly ostensive ostentation ostentatious
Example sentences
- obvious It seems fairly obvious that Tom isn't happy here.
- apparent The company turned him down for no apparent reason.
- seeming Is it possible to be sincere without seeming arrogant?
- conspicuous Marcus was once again conspicuous by his absence.
- purported The purported director of the film is still unknown.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| ostensible | steady | |
| obvious | steady | |
| apparent | falling | |
| seeming | rising | |
| conspicuous | falling | |
| purported | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- plain1
- 6 letters
- avowed2
- 7 letters
- obvious3, visible3, notable3, evident3, nominal3, blatant2, outward2, seeming2, glaring2
- 8 letters
- apparent3, manifest3, palpable3, specious2
- 9 letters
- plausible3, pretended3, purported3, professed2, colorable, ostensive
- 10 letters
- noticeable4, colourable
- 11 letters
- superficial4, conspicuous4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (avowed2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- ostensible
- Español
- ostensible
- Deutsch
- offensichtlich