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ostensible

[o-sten-suh-buhl] / ɒˈstɛn sə bəl /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But, especially in Pulte’s new position, The Fellowship could be just a phone call away, given its intense focus on relationships with global leaders, and given Pulte’s ostensible closeness to his grandfather.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

But it still makes an awkward fit, tonally, in a book whose ostensible subject had created more light-hearted expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Like that movie, “Remake” has an ostensible central subject that becomes a mere frame for his actual one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

This organization’s ostensible goal is to “promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.”

From Salon • Jan. 25, 2026

His ostensible reason, however, was to ask whether Mr. Woodhouse’s party could be made up in the evening without him, or whether he should be in the smallest degree necessary at Hartfield.

From "Emma" by Jane Austen




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