adv · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Australian, Received-Pronunciation:/əˈpæɹəntli/
British, Southern, Standard:/əˈpaɹəntlɪj/
US:/əˈpæɹəntli/without the Mary–marry–merry merger
US:ə-părʹənt-lēwithout the Mary–marry–merry merger
/əˈpɛɹəntli/US, Mary–marry–merry merger, Canada
US:MmmmRecorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Scotland:/əˈpaɾəntle/
Wales:/əˈpaɾəntli/
CMU ARPABET:AH0 P EH1 R AH0 N T L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Plainly; clearly; manifestly; evidently.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
A man may be apparently friendly, yet malicious in heart.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ostensibly, seemingly, apparently, at first blush, at first glance, at first sight, on the face of it, on the surface, outwardly, prima facie, superficially, surfacely, to all appearances
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
According to what the speaker has read or heard.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Apparently you are quite a good dancer.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: allegedly, reportedly
Antonyms: none provided
4
adv
Meaning 4
According to what one can deduce.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: often, sarcastic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adverb
Meaning 5
unmistakably (`plain' is often used informally for `plainly')
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the answer is obviously wrong
she was in bed and evidently in great pain
he was manifestly too important to leave off the guest list
it is all patently nonsense
she has apparently been living here for some time
I thought he owned the property, but apparently not
irrigation often produces bumper crops from apparently desert land
the child is seemingly healthy but the doctor is concerned
had been ostensibly frank as to his purpose while really concealing it
on the face of it the problem seems minor
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: seemingly, ostensibly, on the face of it
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English apparent Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English apparently From apparent + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
166 source translations are retained for this English entry.