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View synonyms for ostensible

ostensible

[ o-sten-suh-buhl ]

adjective

  1. outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended:

    an ostensible cheerfulness concealing sadness.

  2. apparent, evident, or conspicuous:

    the ostensible truth of their theories.



ostensible

/ ɒˈstɛnsɪbəl /

adjective

  1. apparent; seeming
  2. pretended


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Derived Forms

  • osˌtensiˈbility, noun

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Other Words From

  • os·tensi·bly adverb
  • nonos·tensi·ble adjective
  • nonos·tensi·bly adverb
  • unos·tensi·ble adjective
  • unos·tensi·bly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ostensible1

First recorded in 1730–40; from French, from Latin ostēns(us) , variant of ostentus ( ostensive ) + French -ible -ible

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ostensible1

C18: via French from Medieval Latin ostensibilis, from Latin ostendere to show, from ob- before + tendere to extend

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Example Sentences

Days after polishing off this ostensible treat, I’m still brushing the bad taste out of my mouth.

From Time

Along with its headquarters employees, that alone would exceed the PPP’s ostensible 500-employee cap.

Even more remarkably, Florida’s renewed stance against both ostensible communism and critical race theory in schools comes with a new state policy of surveying college students and faculty for their opinions on their schools’ ideological makeup.

While the motivation to improve election security is spurious, the ostensible goal isn’t — everyone would agree that a secure election is important for democracy.

Despite the ostensible democratic reforms in the country in recent years, the military commander-in-chief retained powerful influence, including command of the defense, border affairs and home affairs ministries, whose reach is pervasive.

From Time

And why would its ostensible spokesperson refuse to answer yes/no questions about them?

A trove of Bush-era emails that had been quote-unquote-lost resurfaced in 2009, the victim of an ostensible act of mislabeling.

The ostensible middle-ground approach, to “provide weapons an training” to the Ukrainians got about  25 perent of the vote.

Oblivious self-entitlement is now so widespread and suitable for mockery that the ostensible cure has begun to follow in its wake.

It would seem that for all of its ostensible lack of vim and vigor, Israel Media Watch is a very effective organization.

The ostensible reason for this was, that in the Emperor's opinion he had not pressed the siege of Saragossa.

About 100,000 members were enrolled in the union, the ostensible aim of which was the defence of the working manʼs interests.

The conflagration of Rome, attributed by Nero to the Christians, which was the ostensible cause of the first persecution.

People took up the notion from his wild appearance, and because he had no ostensible means of living.

No time should be lost, therefore return her Epistle with the aforesaid ostensible letter.

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Ostend Manifestoostensibly