allegedly clear

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "allegedly clear" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that is claimed to be clear, but there may be doubt or uncertainty about that clarity. Example: "The instructions were allegedly clear, but many still found them confusing."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This distinction is replaced by an allegedly clear distinction between two kinds of existing states of affairs — those that obtain and those that don't).

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Olam has recently been criticised (pdf) for allegedly clearing 20,000 hectares of forests since 2012.

The Guardian

The management maintained a policy of alternating live stage shows with B movies (allegedly to clear the house).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Dean's online posting allegedly made clear that he wanted to exact revenge for the killing of Laquan McDonald by Chicago police last year.

Vice

The tape, which could aid an athlete's grip on the sled, had allegedly been cleared earlier in the week by international sliding officials.

BBC

The email was a response to this post, which discusses a falling out in the McCain campaign regarding Palin, whose "pallin' around with terrorists" line was allegedly not cleared by campaign HQ.

Huffington Post

Back then, it allegedly offered a clear view of Windsor Castle, some 22 miles away, hence its name.

The Guardian - Travel

De Blasio, who in 2010 was one of the leading critics of his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, for allegedly prioritising the clearing of Manhattan over the other four boroughs, was photographed shovelling snow in front of his Brooklyn home.

The Guardian

No man in her life — not Conte or her onetime coach Trevor Graham, who allegedly supplied Jones the clear, or her former husband C. J. Hunter — made her do it.

The New York Times - Sports

This week, spare a thought for Jane Mulcahy, the British woman who tried to sue her divorce lawyers for allegedly not making it clear that a divorce would legally end her marriage.

Vice

The financial conflict of interest in these allegedly nonlitigation studies is clear.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "allegedly clear", ensure the context clearly indicates who is making the claim of clarity and why there might be doubt surrounding it. This adds nuance and precision to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "allegedly clear" as a filler phrase. Ensure there's a legitimate reason to question the clarity of something before using this construction. Otherwise, opt for a more direct and confident statement.

Linguistic Context

Modifies an adjective, suggesting that the clarity being described is questionable or based on an unproven claim. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is usable when there is reason to doubt the clarity despite assertions to the contrary. It adds a layer of skepticism to the description.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

31%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "allegedly clear" is used to express skepticism about a claimed clarity. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically correct and usable, employed when something is presented as easily understood, but doubts persist. Functioning as an adverb modifying an adjective, it introduces nuance. While infrequent, its presence in reputable sources like The Guardian and Vice underscores its utility when expressing critical evaluation. To enhance writing, ensure a valid basis for questioning the clarity. Alternatives include "supposedly obvious" or "ostensibly transparent", depending on the specific context. Overall, it's best to wield the term carefully to convey skepticism effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Claimed to be clear

Directly states that a claim of clarity is being made, without necessarily endorsing it.

Supposedly obvious

Replaces "allegedly" with "supposedly", focusing on the claim of obviousness but retaining the doubt.

Presumably obvious

Similar to 'supposedly obvious', but with a slight emphasis on assumption rather than direct assertion.

Putatively evident

Replaces both words with more formal synonyms, maintaining the sense of a claimed but not necessarily real clarity.

Apparently unambiguous

Substitutes "allegedly" with "apparently" and "clear" with "unambiguous", conveying a similar meaning.

Seemingly straightforward

Emphasizes the appearance of simplicity or clarity, but implies potential hidden complexities.

Purportedly lucid

Uses "purportedly" to highlight the claim and "lucid" as a synonym for clear.

Ostensibly transparent

Highlights the surface appearance of transparency, implying a possible lack of true clarity.

Avowedly plain

Indicates that something is openly declared to be plain or simple, but may not actually be so.

So-called clear

Adds a dismissive tone, questioning the validity of the claim that something is clear.

FAQs

How can I use "allegedly clear" in a sentence?

You can use "allegedly clear" to describe something that is claimed to be easily understood, but for which the clarity is questionable. For example: "The instructions were "allegedly clear", but many users still struggled to follow them."

What's a good substitute for "allegedly clear"?

Alternatives include "supposedly obvious", "putatively evident", or "ostensibly transparent", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it ever inappropriate to use "allegedly clear"?

Yes, avoid using "allegedly clear" if you intend to convey genuine and undisputed clarity. The "allegedly" component implies doubt or a claim that is not necessarily true. Use it only when you want to suggest a claimed but potentially false sense of clarity.

What is the difference between "allegedly clear" and "ostensibly clear"?

"Allegedly clear" suggests a claim of clarity that may be dubious or unproven. "Ostensibly clear" implies that something appears clear on the surface, but may not be upon closer examination. The former focuses on the claim itself, while the latter focuses on the superficial appearance.