ostensible
gb/ɑstˈɛnsəbəl/ us/ɑstˈɛnsəbəl/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
appearing true but maybe not
Something ostensible looks true or real, but it might not be.
Usage pattern:
ostensible [noun]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse ostensible with obvious. Ostensible means “seeming” and often suggests it may be misleading.
Synonyms
apparent (More neutral; ostensible more strongly suggests appearances may mislead.)
|
seeming (General and less formal.)
|
purported (Emphasizes that something is claimed but not proven.)
|
supposed (Often used when people doubt the truth.)
Antonyms
real (Genuine rather than merely seeming.)
|
genuine (Truly what it appears to be.)
|
actual (Existing in fact, not just in appearance.)
Collocations
ostensible motive
|ostensible explanation
|ostensible intention
|ostensible agreement
|ostensible peace
|ostensible friendship
|ostensible leader
|ostensible advantage
|ostensible facts
|ostensible sincerity
Themes
communication
|truth_and_deception
|social_relations
Examples
- He was polite, but his ostensible friendliness didn’t fool anyone.
- The ostensible calm in the meeting masked a lot of tension.
- Their ostensible agreement fell apart as soon as details were discussed.
Learner examples
- She smiled, but her ostensible happiness was not real.
- The ostensible winner was later disqualified.
adjective
formal
C1
property
2
officially stated, possibly not real
Ostensible is used for the reason or purpose people give, which may hide the real one.
Usage pattern:
ostensible reason/purpose for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use ostensible for “main” or “true”; it often implies the stated reason is not the real reason.
Synonyms
professed (Focuses on what is declared or claimed.)
|
stated (Neutral; does not imply doubt unless context adds it.)
|
alleged (Often used when the claim is disputed.)
|
putative (Formal; used for something generally accepted but uncertain.)
Antonyms
real (The true underlying reason or purpose.)
|
true (Accurate and not a cover story.)
|
underlying (Not the stated surface reason, but what is actually driving it.)
Collocations
ostensible reason
|ostensible purpose
|ostensible aim
|ostensible goal
|ostensible mission
|ostensible justification
|ostensible grounds
|ostensible pretext
|ostensible rationale
|ostensible cover
Themes
communication
|business
|politics
|law
Examples
- The ostensible reason for the visit was to discuss budgets, but they wanted to pressure him to resign.
- She resigned for health reasons, at least as the ostensible explanation went.
- The company said the layoffs were for efficiency, the ostensible purpose being to ‘streamline operations.’
Learner examples
- The ostensible reason was work, but he went to see friends.
- They gave an ostensible excuse for being late.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ostensible
IPA
GB/ɑstˈɛnsəbəl/
US/ɑstˈɛnsəbəl/
Syllables & stress
os - tens - ible (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tens)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ostensible
Word family
Core family
ostensibly
adverb C1
Advanced or less common
ostensive
adjective
ostensively
adverb
Expressions
ostensible authority
1/ɑstˈɛnsəbəl əθˈɔɹɪti/
fixed phrase
legal
apparent power to act
Authority that someone seems to have, even if they don’t really have it.
Examples
- The manager negotiated contracts with ostensible authority, so the supplier assumed the deal was valid.
- The court found that the employee had ostensible authority to accept deliveries.
- They relied on his ostensible authority when they signed the agreement.
ostensible owner
1/ɑstˈɛnsəbəl ˈoʊnɚ/
fixed phrase
legal
person who appears to own
Someone who looks like the owner, but may not be the real owner.
Examples
- The car was registered to an ostensible owner to hide who actually paid for it.
- The bank treated him as the ostensible owner when approving the loan.
- Investigators traced the assets through a series of ostensible owners.
ostensible purpose
1/ɑstˈɛnsəbəl pˈɚpəs/
fixed phrase
formal
stated purpose, possibly a cover
The purpose people say something has, which may not be the real one.
Examples
- The ostensible purpose of the trip was research, but it looked more like a vacation.
- Inspections began, with the ostensible purpose of improving safety.
- The group’s ostensible purpose is charity, though critics accuse it of lobbying.
ostensible reason
1/ɑstˈɛnsəbəl ɹˈizən/
fixed phrase
formal
publicly given reason
The reason people say, which may hide the true reason.
Examples
- The ostensible reason for the delay was ‘technical issues,’ but staff shortages were the real problem.
- His ostensible reason for calling was to check in, though he clearly wanted a favor.
- Budget cuts were the ostensible reason for closing the program.