Revised as of
8 Sept 2022
This word confusion, apparently vs obviously vs seemingly, cropped up when I was researching something else, and I obviously became curious as to the distinctions between the three.
Apparently draws a conclusion, that may not be true.
Obviously means you know it’s true.
Seemingly appears to be true, but one could be drawing the wrong conclusion.
I know, nitpicky.
“A man may be apparently friendly, yet malicious in heart.”
| apparently | obviously | seemingly |
|---|---|---|
| Apparently Tom already bought eggs.
Tom is usually home at this hour, so it’s quite likely it was him. |
Tom obviously bought the eggs.
His wallet is right next to the receipt. |
Seemingly, Tom bought the eggs.
It could have been Tom, but it could have been Mike. |
| The child nodded, apparently content with the promise.
The child may not believe me. |
The child nodded, obviously content with the promise.
It was a relief that the child believed me. |
The child nodded, seemingly content with the promise.
The child showed signs of being content, but I wasn’t sure. |
| Apparently, that diet is working, as Karen is losing weight.
She could be losing weight for another reason. |
Karen is obviously losing weight.
She’s a lot skinnier than she used to be. |
Seemingly, that diet is working, as Karen is losing weight.
She could be losing weight for another reason. |
| Hinative | ||
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| Apparently | Obviously | Seemingly |
|---|---|---|
Instruments for the Recovery of the Apparently Dead was uploaded by Fæ and is under the CC BY 4.0 license, courtesy of Wellcome Trust and via Wikimedia Commons. |
_High_Street,_Buxton,_Derbyshire_(2163486924).jpg)
Post Office (Obviously!), High Street, Buxton, Derbyshire, by BazzaDaRambler is under the CC BY 2.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons. |
The Seemingly Endless Forestry Boundary Fence by Eric Jones is under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license, via Geograph.uk.co. |
| Part of Grammar: | ||
| Adverb | Adverb | Adverb |
| Drawing a conclusion
[Sentence adverb] As far as one knows or can see |
No doubt about it
In a way that is easily perceived or understood
Without subtlety |
Appearing to be true
So as to give the impression of having a certain quality
In appearance but not necessarily in actuality |
| Examples: | ||
| The child nodded, apparently content with the promise.
I discussed both options with the litigants, and they are apparently agreeable to either one. Apparently, the tornado went right through the center of the town’s eastern district. |
She was obviously sick.
Obviously, everyone has to do what they think is right. Obviously you don’t understand. Obviously not everyone wants a cellphone. |
She was a seemingly competent and well-organized person.
It’s touch and go, seemingly, and she’s asking for you. She bypassed cars on the freeway with seemingly effortless ease. As far as one knows, seemingly, he had few friends left. |
| Derivatives: | ||
| Adjective: apparent | Adjective: obvious | Adjective: seeming Noun: seeming |
| History of the Word: | ||
| First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, apparent + -ly. | The first known use was in 1638. | The first known use was circa 1616. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Apparently vs Obviously vs Seemingly
Apple Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com: apparently
That_Korean_Kat and Kuponut. “What is the Difference Between Obviously and Apparently?” Hinative. 2 Apr 2017. Web. 11 Sept 2020. <https://hinative.com/en-US/questions/2236975>.
Pinterest Photo Credits:
Old Analog Camera in Woman’s Hands by Kaboom.pics, <https://iconscout.com/contributors/kaboompics-com-22577/photos>, is under the CC0 license, via Iconscout.
