Word: ostensible (adjective)

Associations

"Ostensible" means something that is stated or appears to be true, but it might not be the real reason or fact. It is often used when the given explanation or appearance hides the true situation.

• The ostensible reason for his absence was illness, but he was actually on vacation. (Here, the reason given is illness, but the real reason is different.)
• She accepted the job for the ostensible purpose of gaining experience, though she really wanted the salary. (The stated purpose may not be the real one.)
• The ostensible goal of the meeting was to discuss budgets, but they ended up talking about staff issues.

Synonym: "apparent" — Both mean something seems true. But "ostensible" often suggests there is a hidden truth behind it, while "apparent" just means it looks like that.

Substitution

You can replace "ostensible" with:

• apparent (less strong about hidden truth)
• supposed (implies something is assumed but not confirmed)
• alleged (often used in legal or formal contexts, meaning claimed but not proven)

Each substitution changes the tone slightly. "Ostensible" often hints at a difference between appearance and reality.

Deconstruction

• Root: from Latin "ostendere" meaning "to show" or "to display."
• Prefix: "os-" (from Latin "ob-", meaning "toward" or "in front")
• Suffix: "-ible" meaning "able to be" So "ostensible" literally means "able to be shown" or "appearing to be."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when something was ostensible but the real reason was different?
• How does knowing the word "ostensible" help you understand news or stories better?
• Can you create a sentence using "ostensible" about a situation in your life or a movie you know?