ostensible
Collocations
2VERB + OSTENSIBLE
understand
OSTENSIBLE + NOUN
contempt, provision
Definitions
adj
Apparent, evident; meant for open display.
Motives, of course, may be mixed; but this only means that a man aims at a variety of goals by means of the same course of action. Similarly a man may have a strong motive or a weak one, an ulterior motive or an ostensible one.
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.
Appearing as such; being such in appearance; professed, supposed (rather than demonstrably true or real).
The ostensible reason for his visit to New York was to see his mother, but the real reason was to get to the Yankees game the next day.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
adjective — represented or appearing as such
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
4Motives, of course, may be mixed; but this only means that a man aims at a variety of goals by means of the same course of action. Similarly a man may have a strong motive or a weak one, an ulterior m
WiktionaryIn 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 o
WiktionaryThe 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 cha
WiktionaryI do not understand Tom's ostensible contempt for the sartorial concerns of his peers.
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