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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Some of that was apparent in 2024 as cybersecurity incidents at UnitedHealth Group and Crowdstrike had unexpected and unprecedented impacts.Bob Zukis, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
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That apparent indifference on this key question will force the House and Senate to attempt to resolve their differences among themselves.Axios, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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During the day, open curtains and blinds to let in as much light as possible.Cathy Habas, SELF, 17 Jan. 2025
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The disease can affect the colon and rectum and can weaken the body, leading to possible life-threatening complications.Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Blumberg is a somewhat shy, 34-year-old singer and multi-instrumentalist from London who, for the last two decades, has recorded albums in various bands and as a solo artist, and whose only ostensible throughline is raw emotion and sonic experimentation.Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
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The drone is the ostensible replacement for the Mavic 3 Enterprise and features a similar backpack-friendly foldable airframe.Jim Fisher, PCMAG, 8 Jan. 2025
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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Making obvious your goal of understanding is a powerful way of creating goodwill.Kurt Gray, TIME, 17 Jan. 2025
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There is an obvious set of two scoring lines and two shutdown lines available.Murat Ates, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Pitt’s cause of death was revealed as sharp and blunt force injuries with probable strangulation, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner, The Ventura County Star reported.Charna Flam, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025
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In a season in which a Clemson-Alabama CFP rematch seemed probable, this shocker temporarily shook up that inevitability.Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ostensive
Cite this Entry
“Ostensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostensive. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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