as in apparent
appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed
the ostensible reason for the meeting turned out to be a trick to get him to the surprise party
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Recent Examples of ostensible
The ostensible reason for shuttering VOA, according to last Friday’s executive order, is to reduce bureaucracy, as if all government workers are pushing papers back and forth without purpose.
—
Al Pessin, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
All of the losses that come with slashing NOAA’s staffing and budget will do precious little to achieve the ostensible goal of the White House and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025
Surely there’s a tube of glue somewhere in this massive house, but this is about the outing, not its ostensible purpose.
—Chris Klimek, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
Just last week, Axios reported on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plan to use artificial intelligence to comb the social media accounts of student visa holders in a search for ostensible terrorist sympathies.
—Michelle Goldberg, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensible
Al Pessin, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
All of the losses that come with slashing NOAA’s staffing and budget will do precious little to achieve the ostensible goal of the White House and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025
Surely there’s a tube of glue somewhere in this massive house, but this is about the outing, not its ostensible purpose.
—Chris Klimek, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
Just last week, Axios reported on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plan to use artificial intelligence to comb the social media accounts of student visa holders in a search for ostensible terrorist sympathies.
—Michelle Goldberg, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensible
Adjective
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To a casual observer, the difference between o1 and o1-pro might not be immediately apparent, yet the performance gap in business tasks can be substantial.—
Andrew Filev,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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This is most apparent in the different choices of former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Entertainment Fans of the show on social media seem to be missing a lot of crucial character development, and there’s an obvious explanation why.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
10 Apr. 2025
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In its wildest moments, Coogler’s film seems like a collision of Lovecraft Country with True Blood, though more obvious comparisons will likely be drawn to From Dusk Till Dawn.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Emilia Pérez’s turnout in particular was a fall from seeming dominance, perhaps precipitated by Gascón’s controversy.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2025
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That night of violence — with its brutality and seeming lack of a motive — has shaken the community.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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In Europe, projections showed a probable increase in Ambrosia—or ragweed pollen—also linked to rising temperatures.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
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The presence of at least six US B-2 stealth bombers in the Indian Ocean and a second aircraft carrier in the Middle East only fueled speculation in Israel that a strike was not only possible, but increasingly probable.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Back in 2003, just months after the U.S. invaded Iraq, toppling President Saddam Hussein on the pretext of supposed weapons of mass destruction that never materialized, Libyan leader Muammar el-Qaddafi agreed to shutter his nation's burgeoning nuclear program in exchange for peace with Washington.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
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The internet had been buzzing with rumors that her seductive serenade during the R&B superstar’s live performance sparked a breakup with a supposed husband, but Tillman is calling it all fan fiction.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ostensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensible. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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