purportedly

adverb

pur·​port·​ed·​ly (ˌ)pər-ˈpȯr-təd-lē How to pronounce purportedly (audio)
Synonyms of purportedlynext
: it is purported : ostensibly, allegedly

Examples of purportedly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The announcement of the senior appointments, purportedly made by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Monday, followed the naming of a new national security chief, Mohsen Rezaie, a day earlier. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 Even pages that are purportedly drawing millions of views aren’t updating. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026 Officials alleged that some billed Medicaid for services that were never provided, including care purportedly delivered while aides or recipients were incarcerated, hospitalized, traveling overseas, or working other jobs. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026 These toads would be boiled down in billycans to produce a sludgy brew, which the hippies purportedly drank. — Kimon De Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purportedly

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of purportedly was in 1942

Rhymes for purportedly

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Browse Nearby Words

purported
purportedly
purportless
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Cite this Entry

“Purportedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purportedly. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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