ostensible
Adjective
Hard difficulty
What does “ostensible” mean?
adjective.stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so.
SAT Usage
the term is often used in contexts related to deception, appearances, or superficiality. It emphasizes a discrepancy between what is presented and the underlying reality, suggesting that something may be misleading or not genuinely as it seems, contrasting with words like "authentic" or "genuine" that imply true representation.
Common Confusions
Ostensible implies that something appears to be true but may be misleading, while authentic usually suggests that something is genuine and truly represents what it claims to be.
Do not choose ostensible if the context emphasizes certainty or truthfulness rather than something that is stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so.
Example Sentences
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His ostensible reason for leaving was the workload.