supposedly

adverb

sup·​pos·​ed·​ly sə-ˈpō-zəd-lē How to pronounce supposedly (audio)
 also  -ˈpōzd-lē
: as is supposed : according to what is or was said, claimed, or believed by some
a supposedly true story
a supposedly good restaurant
He had dozens of people around him, supposedly looking after him …Philip Norman
Daddy took me to the Legion, to shoot pool supposedly.Mary Karr

Examples of supposedly in a Sentence

she's supposedly too sick to come—or so she says
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Venus’ clash with Saturn and Neptune turns a supposedly secure friendship on its head. Usa Today, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025 Even a single strand could supposedly expose someone’s race or criminality. Book Marks august 1, Literary Hub, 1 Aug. 2025 The American online gaming industry has produced exactly one profitable quarter in seven years of operation—a stunning indictment of an industry supposedly worth billions. Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 That's the secret judicial officer listed in the criminal complaint against Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan for supposedly taking federal agents to the chief judge's office while Dugan rushed through the case of an undocumented immigrant and ushered him out a side door of her courtroom. Daniel Bice, jsonline.com, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for supposedly

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of supposedly was in 1597

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Supposedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supposedly. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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