as in apparent
appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed
the ostensive purpose of his visit was to discuss the terms of his will
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Recent Examples of ostensive
The ostensive unpopularity of violet versus purple nagged at the back of Tager’s mind for much of his life, eventually setting him on a 20-year journey across 193 museums in 42 countries.
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Stephen MacKnik, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021
Just like Glaucon, the best this new interlocutor could do is an ostensive definition - provide examples of justice - or possibly present the etymology of the word.
—Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
Researchers in this new study show that dogs made their decisions based on these ostensive cues as well.
—Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 28 Apr. 2012
This obviously doesn’t mean the Nuggets reserve unit has transformed into the cream of the crop, and that minus-three remains a concern for a team with ostensive (if diminished) title hopes.
—Joel Rush, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2021
Ask this question to a random group of people, the answer will most likely be ostensive.
—Teddy McDarrah, Forbes, 28 June 2021
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
Cairo streets are lined with campaign banners and posters extolling el-Sissi, who has done little in the way of traditional campaigning, and has not publicly mentioned his ostensive challenger, Moussa Mustafa Moussa.
—Fox News, 26 Mar. 2018
Stephen MacKnik, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021
Just like Glaucon, the best this new interlocutor could do is an ostensive definition - provide examples of justice - or possibly present the etymology of the word.
—Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
Researchers in this new study show that dogs made their decisions based on these ostensive cues as well.
—Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 28 Apr. 2012
This obviously doesn’t mean the Nuggets reserve unit has transformed into the cream of the crop, and that minus-three remains a concern for a team with ostensive (if diminished) title hopes.
—Joel Rush, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2021
Ask this question to a random group of people, the answer will most likely be ostensive.
—Teddy McDarrah, Forbes, 28 June 2021
The United Arab Emirates has taken advantage of the fight and now dominates the south, squeezing out its ostensive ally, Hadi.
—Washington Post, 12 May 2018
Cairo streets are lined with campaign banners and posters extolling el-Sissi, who has done little in the way of traditional campaigning, and has not publicly mentioned his ostensive challenger, Moussa Mustafa Moussa.
—Fox News, 26 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostensive
Adjective
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Though the Dodgers reportedly had the most funds available to spend on the 2024 class, Sasaki’s apparent shift to the 2025 class should not sway much in what is expected to be a dogged pursuit of the Japanese right-hander.Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic, 10 Dec. 2024
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Furthermore, the information was not recovered by journalists or authorities, who were able to quickly uncover Mangione's apparent social media profiles including his Goodreads, LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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People can stay safe from possible carbon monoxide poisoning by taking precautionary measures.Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
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Prior to Tuesday night’s filing, Spiro had pushed for expediting the mayor’s case as much as possible, requesting shorter timelines and pushing for his trial to start as early as March.Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The ostensible reason for the increase is to address the very real problem of revenue volatility.Jon Coupal, Orange County Register, 8 Dec. 2024
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While Monogram’s official website lists nine ostensible retailers —eight in California and one in Arizona — none of the dispensaries actually carry the brand, SF Gate reported.Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That night of violence — with its brutality and seeming lack of a motive — has shaken the community.Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2024
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Political pressure will come to the Kremlin not just from opponents of the war but also from those dismayed by the military’s startling incompetence and seeming lack of determination.Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 27 Sep. 2022
Adjective
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Even now, the demand for change-resilient experts with transferable skills is already obvious across multiple industries, especially in tech and IT.Hilary Tetenbaum, The Arizona Republic, 18 Dec. 2024
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One of the additions should be quite obvious to anybody following the Yankees' offseason closely.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Advertisement Rather, Harris would need to view the job as a probable career-capper, taking pride in solving complex problems that are eating away at her native state.George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024
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He was listed as questionable for the Lakers’ next game, in Atlanta on Dec. 6, before being upgraded to probable pregame and eventually playing.Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near ostensive
Cite this Entry
“Ostensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensive. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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