seemingly

seemingly — adverb

1. Appearing to be a certain way on the surface, though the real situation may be d

1.副詞B2
釋義

Appearing to be a certain way on the surface, though the real situation may be different.

例句

Minh's kitchen renovation was seemingly straightforward, but the plumbing issues doubled the cost.

seemingly + adjective (straightforward)

Soraya gave a seemingly honest answer, though later we found out she had lied.

seemingly + adjective before a noun

同義詞
  • apparently

    More common and neutral; 'apparently' can report what others say without implying deception, whereas 'seemingly' leans toward doubting the surface impression

  • ostensibly

    More formal; stresses the declared or professed purpose rather than the real one (e.g., 'ostensibly for charity')

  • outwardly

    Focuses on external presentation or behaviour, often contrasting with inner feelings ('outwardly calm but furious inside')

反義詞
  • genuinely

    Describes the true state of affairs, not the surface impression

  • actually

    States what is real or factual, opposite of what appears to be

文法句型

seemingly + adjective

seemingly + adverb

Seemingly, [clause]

用法筆記

Carries an implied contrast between how something looks and how it really is. Commonly pairs with adjectives of judgment or quality, such as simple, honest, calm, or impossible.

常見錯誤

❌He is seemingly very rich' (when you mean he actually is rich).
✅He is seemingly very rich, but I am not sure about his real finances.
💡'seemingly' introduces doubt about the truth; do not use it for established or verified facts.
❌The sun seemingly rises in the east' (a universal fact).
✅The weather seemingly improved after lunch.
💡Avoid using 'seemingly' with facts that are objectively true.

2. Based on the information you have, especially when you are not completely certai

2.副詞B2
釋義

Based on the information you have, especially when you are not completely certain or have not checked every detail.

例句

Sayaka checked all the local listings, but there is seemingly no apartment available for rent in this area.

there is seemingly + no + noun phrase

Aarav has seemingly fixed the office printer, because the paper jam error has stopped appearing.

seemingly + present perfect, with evidence clause

同義詞
  • evidently

    Implies stronger evidence or clearer signs than 'seemingly'

  • supposedly

    Carries more doubt and often implies the information may be unreliable

  • as far as one can tell

    A more cautious phrase that makes the limitation of knowledge explicit

文法句型

seemingly + verb phrase

seemingly, [clause]

there is seemingly + noun phrase

用法筆記

Common in spoken and written contexts where the speaker reports available evidence without claiming full certainty. Often pairs with perception verbs or adjectives of awareness (know, realise, aware).

常見錯誤

❌Seemingly, water boils at 100°C' (a scientific certainty).
✅Seemingly, the train has been delayed by an hour.
💡Do not use 'seemingly' with facts that can be proven beyond doubt.