Ostensible Meaning
/ɒˈstɛns.ɪ.bəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjApparent, evident; meant for open display.
adjAppearing as such; being such in appearance; professed, supposed (rather than demonstrably true or real).
Sentence Examples
I do not understand Tom's ostensible contempt for the sartorial concerns of his peers.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ reason for the meeting was to discuss the budget, but really it was about layoffs.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ reason for the meeting was to discuss the budget, but the real agenda was quite different.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from French ostensible, formed with the suffix -ible, from Latin ostensus, the past participle of ostendō (“show”), itself from obs- (“in front of”) (akin to ob- (“in the way”)) + tendō (“stretch”) (akin to Ancient Greek τείνω (teínō)). Cf. also Medieval Latin ostensibilis.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In witch-trials the conflict was officially defined as between the accused and God, or between the accused and the Catholic (later Protestant) church, as God's earthly representative. […] Behind the ostensible conflict of the witch-trial lay the usual conflicts of social class, values, and human relationships."
— 1974, Thomas S. Szasz, chapter 11, in The Myth of Mental Illness, →ISBN, page 192:
"The ostensible reason this provision was added to a bill on international trade is to combat the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, a grass-roots campaign that seeks to pressure Israel to change its policies toward the Palestinians."
— 2016 January 26, “When ‘Made In Israel’ Is a Human Rights Abuse”, in The New York Times, retrieved 26 Jan 2016:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ reason for the meeting was to discuss the budget, but really it was about layoffs.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ reason for the meeting was to discuss the budget, but the real agenda was quite different.