supposedly

supposedly — adverb

1. used when telling others about something you have heard, to make it clear you ar

1.副詞C1
釋義

used when telling others about something you have heard, to make it clear you are not sure the information is true

例句

Ravindra supposedly finished the marathon in under three hours, but no official recorded his time.

sentence-initial skepticism: supposedly + contrary evidence clause

The email was supposedly sent last night, yet Baraka still has not received it.

passive: be supposedly + past participle

同義詞
  • allegedly

    Stronger implication of wrongdoing; often used in legal or police contexts where an accusation is involved

  • reportedly

    Neutral — simply states that something has been reported without expressing doubt or belief

  • ostensibly

    More formal; suggests the stated reason may not be the real one, focusing on appearances rather than truth

文法句型

supposedly + verb phrase

supposedly + [clause]

be + supposedly + past participle / adjective

用法筆記

Frequently expresses the speaker's doubt about the truth of a reported claim. Unlike 'allegedly' (which often implies possible legal or official investigation), 'supposedly' simply signals that the speaker considers the information unverified, unlikely, or exaggerated. It commonly pairs with a clause presenting contradictory evidence, introduced by 'yet', 'but', or 'though'.

常見錯誤

❌Apparently, he is the new manager.' (when you mean you doubt the claim)
✅Supposedly, he is the new manager, but I am not sure.
💡'Apparently' reports what seems true based on evidence, while 'supposedly' expresses doubt about the claim.
❌I am supposedly to finish the report by Friday.' (confusing with obligation)
✅I am supposed to finish the report by Friday.
💡'Supposed to' expresses duty or expectation; 'supposedly' expresses doubt about a reported statement.