Word Confusion: Appear versus Seem

Posted August 2, 2022 by Kathy Davie in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

This word confusion appear vs seem is close in meaning — both are about facts — and can be used interchangeably. There is, however, a slight difference.

Appear is slightly more formal and is also about events. One can fine it down a bit to how something looks — or seems to look. It’s usually followed by an adjective or a to infinitive. Of course there’s the infinitive + noun phrase that usually means become noticeable.

Seem is very informal and is often used by a noun. It also talks about personal feelings and ideas.

Panjandrum makes an excellent point about referencing the word’s origins to make a more detailed decision about which word to use, stating that “appear is a Latinate formation of the verb [meaning] to become visible [while] seem is a Nordic word meaning apt or suiting“.

You may also want to explore “Apparently vs Obviously vs Seemingly” and or “Seam versus Seem“.

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 noir for you from either end.

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Appear	Seem
We’re Sorry, but Roy Campanella is Ill and Will Not Be Able to Appear by Roger Higgens for the New York World Telegram & Sun is in the public domain, via Picryl and courtesy of the Library of Congress.	I Seem to Have Temporarily Misplaced My Sense of Humour painted by artist Wayne Youle and photographed by Bernard Spragg is in the public domain, via Picryl.
Part of Grammar:
Verb, intransitive Third person present verb: appears Past tense or past participle: appeared Gerund or present participle: appearing	Verb, intransitive Third person present verb: seems Past tense or past participle: seemed Gerund or present participle: seeming
Come into sight Become visible or noticeable, typically without visible agent or apparent cause Come into existence or use [Of a book] Be published [Of an accused person, witness, or lawyer] Make an official appearance in a court of law Perform publicly in a movie, play, etc. Feature or be shown [Informal] Arrive at a place Seem Give the impression of being To be created, invented, or developed To attend or be present, especially to arrive late or stay but a short time	Give the impression or sensation of being something or having a particular quality [With infinitive] Used to make a statement or description of one’s thoughts, feelings, or actions less assertive or forceful [Cannot seem to do something] Be unable to do something, despite having tried [With clause; it seems or it would seem] Used to suggest in a cautious, guarded, or polite way that something is true or a fact
Examples:
Smoke appeared on the horizon. Then the major life forms appeared on earth. The paperback edition didn’t appear for another two years. He appeared on six charges of theft. He appeared on Broadway. The symbol appears in many paintings of the period. By ten o’clock Bill still hadn’t appeared. She appeared not to know what was happening. It appears unlikely that interest rates will fall. He appeared unaware of the rebuke. Speech appears in the child’s first or second year. He appeared at the party but left quickly.	Dawn seemed annoyed. There seems to be plenty to eat. It seemed that he was determined to oppose her. I seem to remember giving you very precise instructions. He couldn’t seem to remember his lines. It would seem that he has been fooling us all.
Derivatives:
Adjective: well-appearing Noun: appearance Verb: reappear	Adjective: seeming, seemlier, seemly Adverb: seemingly Noun: seemer, seeming, seemliness
History of the Word:
Middle English from the Old French apareir, from the Latin apparere, which is from ad- (towards) + parere (come into view).	Middle English, also in the sense suit, befit, be appropriate, from the Old Norse sœma meaning to honor, from sœmr meaning fitting.

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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.

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Resources for Appear versus Seem

“Appear.” Using Verbs. Verbs. Grammar. Cambridge Dictionary. n.d. Web. 1 Aug 2022. <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/appear>.

Apple Dictionary.com

Dictionary.com: appear

Yoshiee. “Seem vs Appear.” WordReference Forum. Panjandrum. 24 Jan 2011. Web. 1 Aug 2022. <https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/seem-vs-appear.2041967/>.

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