as in apparent
appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed
the ostensive purpose of his visit was to discuss the terms of his will
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Recent Examples of ostensive
Just like Glaucon, the best this new interlocutor could do is an ostensive definition - provide examples of justice - or possibly present the etymology of the word.
—
Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
The ostensive unpopularity of violet versus purple nagged at the back of Tager’s mind for much of his life, eventually setting him on a 20-year journey across 193 museums in 42 countries.
—Stephen MacKnik, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
The ostensive unpopularity of violet versus purple nagged at the back of Tager’s mind for much of his life, eventually setting him on a 20-year journey across 193 museums in 42 countries.
—Stephen MacKnik, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensive
Adjective
-
The Georgia city’s northwest Buckhead neighborhood has been overrun in the last couple of weeks by empty, driverless ride-share vehicles due to an apparent routing behavior issue.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
-
Their apparent approach will culminate in a spectacular conjunction on June 9, when the two brightest planets in the night sky appear exceptionally close together after sunset.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
From the standpoint of productivity, however, ephemera often seems counter to efficiency—to getting a coherent story down on paper and ready for publication as soon as humanly possible.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Investigators are examining possible anti-Islamic writings found in the car where police found the dead suspects, two senior law enforcement officials said.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
The attack comes despite an ostensible ceasefire that has been in place since October.—
Eugenia Yosef,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
-
Of course, none of this would be possible if the DOJ and Blanche happened to remember the department’s own function as the ostensible guardian of the rule of law.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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These innocuous-seeming actions can kindle dry vegetation, potentially spawning a wildfire.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
-
Ines is a little dazzled by the older girl’s seeming worldliness and Hanna shows big-sisterly fondness for Ines, making her, along with her diary, the repository of her secrets.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
The old gunslinger makes the most of an AFC without an obvious favorite and rides off after one last trip into the playoffs, this one coming with a postseason win.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Neural activation and event consolidation seem too bureaucratic, even obvious.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Eight of those cases have been laboratory confirmed for Andes virus infection, while two are considered probable cases.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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Besides wanting to back the probable winner (Bass) who can help deliver lucrative new contracts, the police union also has reasons to spite Raman.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ostensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensive. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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