ostensibly
adverb
os·ten·si·bly
ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-blē 
ə-
1
: in a manner that conceals or may conceal what is true or real
The story is ostensibly fiction, but some of the events are based on real life.
… this was the first time that he had been ostensibly frank as to his purpose while really concealing it.—
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy2
: to all outward appearances
Ostensibly, the reason for his visit was to see an old friend.
… invited me to come inside with him, ostensibly to say good-bye to the hippie friend but actually to smoke pot …—Donna Tartt
Donna TarttExamples of ostensibly in a Sentence
The god of cleanliness is never satisfied. In America, the ostensibly egalitarian nature of society meant that cleanliness was used to mark status.
—Joanna Bourke, Harper's, April 2008
Budweiser and Miller, on the other hand, have eroded their credibility by launching brands ostensibly produced by microbreweries. They've been found out, with resulting customer cynicism.
—James R. Rosenfield, Demographics, December 1997
The day after Clinton made his seemingly proactive statement, he met with congressional leaders of both parties, ostensibly to press the case for military intervention.
—Michael Kelly, New Yorker, 19 Dec.1994
ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent
Joanna Bourke, Harper's, April 2008
Budweiser and Miller, on the other hand, have eroded their credibility by launching brands ostensibly produced by microbreweries. They've been found out, with resulting customer cynicism.
—James R. Rosenfield, Demographics, December 1997
The day after Clinton made his seemingly proactive statement, he met with congressional leaders of both parties, ostensibly to press the case for military intervention.
—Michael Kelly, New Yorker, 19 Dec.1994
ostensibly a university student studying abroad, he was actually an espionage agent
Recent Examples on the Web
The questions at the hearing – ostensibly about broadband funding deployment – also underscored how the latest release of Epstein files has shaken government and business figures around the world.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, Coco and Serve, whose robots ostensibly grow smarter and more street savvy with each passing day, may learn to better adapt to navigating the city.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Although the collection was ostensibly fall, the brand follows a non-seasonal approach with most garments light enough to be worn in cool temperatures or as layering pieces in the cold.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
For years, the consensus in this country has been that a mother’s job is, ostensibly, to protect her children at all costs.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
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Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, Coco and Serve, whose robots ostensibly grow smarter and more street savvy with each passing day, may learn to better adapt to navigating the city.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Although the collection was ostensibly fall, the brand follows a non-seasonal approach with most garments light enough to be worn in cool temperatures or as layering pieces in the cold.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
For years, the consensus in this country has been that a mother’s job is, ostensibly, to protect her children at all costs.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ostensibly
Cite this Entry
“Ostensibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostensibly. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ostensibly
adverb
os·ten·si·bly
ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-blē
ə-
: to all outward appearances : seemingly
a statement ostensibly true
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