OSTENSIVE Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

ostensive

adjective

ä-ˈsten(t)-siv

Definition of ostensive

as in apparent

appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed the ostensive purpose of his visit was to discuss the terms of his will

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of ostensive Just like Glaucon, the best this new interlocutor could do is an ostensive definition - provide examples of justice - or possibly present the etymology of the word. — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023 The ostensive unpopularity of violet versus purple nagged at the back of Tager’s mind for much of his life, eventually setting him on a 20-year journey across 193 museums in 42 countries. — Stephen MacKnik, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021 The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi. — Washington Post, 12 May 2018

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensive

Adjective

The Trying star is leading The Death of Sherlock Holmes, which fills the gap between the detective’s apparent death at the Reichenbach Falls in 1891 and his reappearance in The Adventure of the Empty House three years later.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Investigators with the city of Douglas, Georgia have released the identities of the five adults killed in an apparent murder-suicide last week.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of apparent

Adjective

The students who stepped forward when their teacher collapsed playing basketball in Michigan illustrate what becomes possible when CPR skills are taught before they are needed.

— Meng Yang, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
The film team had to come up with a strategy to capture as much as possible without interfering with Schnell’s challenge.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of possible

Adjective

The timing suggested that the United States was consciously undercutting an ostensible ally, pressuring Zelensky to step aside or risk catastrophic outcomes on the battlefield.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
But even absent that, congressional Democrats can partner with international experts to help determine who was killed and for what ostensible reason.

— Anjali Dayal, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of ostensible

Adjective

The wholesale change and Payton’s explanation for it after practice represented a dramatic shift in approach and tone from an offseason brimming with confidence and seeming conviction in the move.

— Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
But Chee’s first-person, present-tense narration differs from most in being, in a seeming paradox, retrospective.

— Garth Greenwell, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of seeming

Adjective

Many players have obvious economic incentives to seek to extend their collegiate careers for as long as possible.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
The press release probably didn’t need to also say the company imbued it with distinctive character or charm; that’s quite obvious from the design.

— Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of obvious

Adjective

With their season and pursuit of history on the line, the Boys in Blue are slated to send Tyler Glasnow to the mound against Milwaukee, which hasn't yet announced a probable starter.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
The recent spate of probable Russian attacks in the Black Sea is now disrupting shipping carrying Ukraine’s latest harvest to the rest of Europe, with some cargo being rerouted overland or through the River Danube, Politico reported.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of probable

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ostensibly

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ostensively

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“Ostensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensive. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ostensive

adjective

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