ostensibly

  • 1Ostensibly — Os*ten si*bly ([o^]s*t[e^]n s[i^]*bl[y^]), adv. In an ostensible manner; avowedly; professedly; apparently. Walsh. [1913 Webster] Ostensibly, we were intended to prevent filibustering into Texas, but really as a menace to Mexico. U. S. Grant.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2ostensibly — index prima facie (self evident) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …

    Law dictionary

  • 3ostensibly — 1765, from OSTENSIBLE (Cf. ostensible) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4ostensibly — [adv] apparently at first blush*, evidently, externally, for all intents and purposes*, for show*, officially, on the face*, on the surface*, outwardly, professedly, seemingly, sensibly, superficially, supposedly, to the eye*; concept 582 Ant.… …

    New thesaurus

  • 5ostensibly — os|ten|si|bly [ɔˈstensıbli US a: ] adv if something is ostensibly true, people say that it is true but it is not really true ▪ She stayed behind at the office, ostensibly to work …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 6ostensibly — os|ten|si|bly [ a stensəbli ] adverb used for saying that although someone pretends to have one reason for something, there is in fact another reason: He was ostensibly on vacation, actually he was on a diplomatic mission. Melissa went to her… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 7ostensibly — adverb if something is done ostensibly for a particular reason, it is not really done for this reason but people pretend that it is: The big bosses went to Hawaii, ostensibly to launch the new project …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 8ostensibly — UK [ɒˈstensəblɪ] / US [ɑˈstensəblɪ] adverb used for saying that although someone pretends to have one reason for something, there is in fact another reason He was ostensibly on holiday, but actually he was on a diplomatic mission. Melissa went to …

    English dictionary

  • 9ostensibly — adverb /ɒˈstɛn.sɪ.bli,ɑːˈstɛn.sə.bli/ seemingly, apparently, on the surface On 13 June the peshwa signed a new treaty, ostensibly complying with the demands of the British government... Syn: apparently, arguably, at first blush, seemingly …

    Wiktionary

  • 10ostensibly — adverb it is ostensibly a book about football Syn: apparently, seemingly, on the face of it, to all intents and purposes, outwardly, superficially, allegedly, supposedly, purportedly …

    Thesaurus of popular words