ostensible

ostensible
adjective

the ostensible star is Lana Turner, but it's Juanita Moore who makes the movie click

Syn:
apparent, outward, superficial, professed, supposed, alleged, purported
Ant:
genuine
••
ostensible, apparent, illusory, seeming
The apparent reason for something is not necessarily the real reason. In this sense the word applies to what appears only on the surface, not to what is borne out by scientific investigation or an examination of the relevant facts and circumstances (the apparent cause was only an illusion). The ostensible reason for something is the reason that is expressed, declared, or avowed; but it implies that the truth is being concealed (the ostensible purpose of the meeting was to give the two men a chance to get acquainted). Seeming usually refers to the character of the thing observed rather than to a defect in the observation; it implies even more doubt than either apparent or ostensible (her seeming innocence fooled no one). That which is illusory is always deceptive; it has a character or appearance that doesn't really exist (an illusory beauty that faded quickly in the bright light).

Thesaurus of popular words. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • ostensible — [ ɔstɑ̃sibl ] adj. • 1739; du lat. ostensus, p. p. de ostendere « montrer » 1 ♦ Vx Qui peut être montré publiquement sans inconvénient. 2 ♦ (1801) Littér. Qui est fait sans se cacher ou avec l intention d être remarqué. ⇒ apparent, ouvert, patent …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • ostensible — I adjective able to be seen, apparent, appearing, assumable, assumed, avowed, believable, claimed, clear, colorable, conjecturable, credible, deceiving, deceptive, declared, deluding, delusional, delusive, delusory, discernible, evident, explicit …   Law dictionary

  • ostensible — ostensible, ostensive Ostensible means ‘apparent but not necessarily real’ or ‘professed’: • Despite their ostensible commitment to revolution, they played an ambivalent and ultimately counter revolutionary role E. Acton, 1992. It is often used… …   Modern English usage

  • Ostensible — Os*ten si*ble ([o^]s*t[e^]n s[i^]*b l), a. [From L. ostensus, p. p. of ostendere to show, prop., to stretch out before; fr. prefix obs (old form of ob ) + tendere to stretch. See {Tend}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Capable of being shown; proper or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ostensible — ‘Manifiesto o patente’: «Dolores, con ostensible indiferencia, tararea» (Gambaro Malasangre [Arg. 1982]). No debe confundirse con ostentoso (‘llamativo por su suntuosidad o aparatosidad’; → ostentoso) …   Diccionario panhispánico de dudas

  • ostensible — 1762, from Fr. ostensible, from L. ostensus, pp. of ostendere to show, from ob in front of + tendere to stretch (see TENET (Cf. tenet)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • ostensible — adjetivo 1. (antepuesto / pospuesto) Uso/registro: elevado. Que se nota o se percibe con sólo observarlo superficialmente: Su amargura resultaba ostensible, aunque intentaba ocultarla …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • ostensible — *apparent, seeming, illusory Analogous words: specious, *plausible, colorable: pretended, assumed, affected, simulated, feigned (see ASSUME) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • ostensible — [adj] alleged, supposed apparent, avowed, colorable, demonstrative, exhibited, illusive, illusory, likely, manifest, notable, outward, plausible, pretended, professed, purported, quasi, seeming, semblant, so called*, specious, superficial;… …   New thesaurus

  • ostensible — (Del lat. ostendĕre, mostrar). 1. adj. Que puede manifestarse o mostrarse. 2. Claro, manifiesto, patente …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • ostensible — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ apparently true, but not necessarily so. DERIVATIVES ostensibly adverb. ORIGIN Latin ostensibilis, from ostendere stretch out to view …   English terms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”