CEFR B2

ostensibly

adverb

Meaning

Appearing or stated to be true, though not necessarily so; seemingly.

Examples

Ostensibly, the meeting was about budget cuts, but everyone knew it was about layoffs.
She was ostensibly studying for her exams, but she spent most of her time on social media.

Synonyms: seemingly, apparently, purportedly, professedly

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ostensibly (B2)

adverb

Pronunciation: /ɒsˈtensəbli/

Definition

Appearing or stated to be true, though not necessarily so; seemingly.

Examples

Ostensibly, the meeting was about budget cuts, but everyone knew it was about layoffs.
She was ostensibly studying for her exams, but she spent most of her time on social media.
The new policy is ostensibly designed to help small businesses, but critics argue it will hurt them.

How to Use ostensibly

ostensibly about (prepositional phrase): Appearing to be concerned with or related to a particular subject. — "The discussion was ostensibly about the new project, but it quickly devolved into personal attacks."
ostensibly to (prepositional phrase): Appearing to have the purpose of doing something. — "He joined the club ostensibly to improve his French, but he was really looking for new friends."

Synonyms of ostensibly

Words with a similar meaning to ostensibly:

Antonyms of ostensibly

Words with the opposite meaning to ostensibly:

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