putatively

adverb

as in seemingly
to all outward appearances the lake's putatively pristine water is actually crawling with microorganisms that can wreak havoc with your gastrointestinal system

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of putatively The eight-story glass building at the center of the complex, which had putatively been devoted to vaccine manufacturing, was in fact a highly classified defense facility. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026 Such agencies are putatively created to provide expert advice to the president on complex issues such as nuclear technology and consumer product safety. — Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026 But with supposedly or putatively race-neutral methods, for 100 years, the right to vote was denied. — CBS News, 4 May 2026 From the perspective of a world of increasingly unimaginable maldistribution of resources, cascading ecological collapse, a genocide cheered on by a putatively liberal order, both are barbarisms. — Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putatively
  1. seemingly
  2. apparently
  3. supposedly
  4. ostensibly
  5. evidently
  6. presumably
  7. probably
  8. likely
Adverb
  • The statement came after Roth detailed a sequence in the film to Polygon that features a cartoon that seemingly hypnotizes children, turning them into murderers.
    — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
  • But their political views have seemingly coalesced less around the economy than around the war in Gaza, which serves as a character test for any politician who asks for their vote.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of seemingly
Adverb
  • Alpha 3 would be remastered sooner, but apparently the Super Robot Wars Z2 series polled highly with fans.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Then it was brought down again to £10m because of unspecified fines that had apparently already been handed out.
    — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of apparently
Adverb
  • So reasoning traces, the very things that supposedly distinguish LRMs from the mere next-word-predicting LLMs, are not necessarily either meaningful or causal to a model’s … reasoning?
    — John Pavlus, Quanta Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • Maybe the domain is too diseased to rehabilitate for clicks, even under its supposedly privacy-forward rebrand.
    — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 30 July 2026
Definition of supposedly
Adverb
  • Here is a woman ostensibly at the top of her game in two fields nevertheless feeling shot down and worn out.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But about 400 travellers who had come from sub-Saharan Africa planned to remain on the border, ostensibly retaining hopes of making it to Europe.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of ostensibly
Adverb
  • Garciaparra's legacy evidently continues to resonate inside the organization, including with current players.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • There is the whole obstacle of her being in a relationship right now, but other than that, Fritz evidently has a shot.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of evidently
Adverb
  • Reid pulled him aside both of the last two days for one-on-one conversations, presumably to discuss assignments and coverages.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • If traded, Vea would presumably get a contract extension from the acquiring team.
    — Sam Warren, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of presumably
Adverb
  • Out of the box, my scope was slightly off, probably from travel or shipping.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • This task force is probably the least likely to help the Fed justify a dovish turn in the short-run.
    — David Zhang, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of probably
Adverb
  • If the prosecution files a motion for summary disposition, the presiding judge — Hippler, in Kohberger’s case — will likely schedule a hearing.
    — Alex Brizee July 30, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026
  • These are the homes ultra-wealthy buyers want, but the supply of this prime real estate is limited, meaning prices for the properties have gone up significantly and will likely continue to do so, Bozovic said.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of likely

Browse Nearby Words

putative
putatively
put away
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Putatively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putatively. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All