appear
gb/əpˈɪɹ/ us/əpˈɪɹ/
A2
English
~ 400
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
come into view
To start to be seen.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] appears
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'appear' with 'look' when describing a visible state; 'appear' often refers to the action of becoming visible, not just looking a certain way.
Synonyms
emerge (Suggests a gradual or noticeable coming into view.)
Antonyms
disappear (Means to go out of sight or become invisible.)
Collocations
suddenly appear
|appear out of nowhere
|appear on stage
|appear in the distance
Themes
daily life
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A rainbow appeared after the rain stopped.
- She suddenly appeared at the doorway.
- The moon appeared from behind the clouds.
- A figure appeared in the fog.
Learner examples
- The sun appeared in the sky.
- A man appeared at the door.
- The cat appeared in the garden.
Verb
B1
state
2
seem or give impression
To look or seem like something is true.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] appears [adjective/to do something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'appear' instead of 'look' when talking about physical attractiveness; 'appear' can sound more formal or uncertain than 'look'.
Synonyms
seem (Almost identical in meaning; 'appear' can sound slightly more formal or visual.)
Antonyms
prove (To show something is true with certainty, removing doubt from appearance.)
Collocations
appear happy
|appear to understand
|appear confident
|it appears that
Themes
communication
|perception
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He appears tired after the long trip.
- It appears that we have made a mistake.
- She appears to know a lot about art.
- The plan appears simple but is actually complex.
Learner examples
- He appears angry.
- It appears that she is busy.
- She appears to like cats.
Verb
B1
action
3
be present publicly
To go to a place, especially for an event or meeting.
Usage pattern:
[someone] appears [at/in something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'perform'; 'appear' can mean just being present, not necessarily performing.
Synonyms
attend (General term for being present; 'appear' often implies formality or obligation.)
Antonyms
be absent (Not being present at an event or place.)
Collocations
appear in court
|appear on television
|appear at a concert
|appear before a judge
Themes
events
|law
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The actor will appear on the talk show tonight.
- You must appear in court next Monday.
- She appeared at the charity fundraiser.
- The president appeared before reporters.
Learner examples
- I will appear in court tomorrow.
- She will appear on TV tonight.
- He appeared at the meeting.
Verb
B2
action
4
be published or released
To be shown or printed for people to see or hear.
Usage pattern:
[something] appears [in/on something]
Synonyms
be published (Directly refers to making information available; 'appear' is broader and includes any public presentation.)
Antonyms
be withdrawn (To be removed from public view or access.)
Collocations
appear in print
|appear online
|appear on screen
|article appeared in
Themes
media
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her article appeared in the newspaper yesterday.
- The story will appear on the evening news.
- The announcement appeared on their website.
- His name appeared in the credits.
Learner examples
- The story appeared in the paper.
- My photo appeared online.
- The news appeared on TV.
Grammar
Dictionary form
appear
IPA
GB/əpˈɪɹ/
US/əpˈɪɹ/
Syllables & stress
ap - pear (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (pear)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: appear
- 3rd Person Singular: appears
- Present Participle: appearing
- Past: appeared
Word family
Forms
appears
verb
appearing
verb
appeared
verb
Core family
Related words
reappear
verb
reappearance
noun
Negative and opposite forms
disappear
verb A2
disappearance
noun B2
Expressions
appear out of nowhere
1/əpˈɪɹ ˈaʊt əv nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
fixed phrase
suddenly become visible unexpectedly
To suddenly be seen without anyone expecting it.
Examples
- The dog appeared out of nowhere and scared us.
- A car appeared out of nowhere on the road.
as it appears
1/ˈæz ˈɪt əpˈɪɹz/
fixed phrase
as it seems to be true
The way something looks based on what we know now.
Examples
- As it appears, we have no other choice.
- As it appears, they will win the game.
make it appear that
1/mˈeɪk ˈɪt əpˈɪɹ ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
cause something to seem true
To make something look like it is true, even if it is not.
Examples
- He tried to make it appear that he was working hard.
- They made it appear that she was guilty.